CORE Posters Fall 2025

Group P

A Multifaceted Exploration of Resilience and Recovery in Communities Affected by Historical Trauma: Building Trauma-Informed Care in Osteopathic Education Ackaway S. 1 , Halkidis G. 1 , Kapila P. . 1 , Lee A. 1 , McKean L. . 1 , Thakar D. 1 , Valentine C. 1 , Alderman C. 2 , Nicholson J. 3 , , Kadio B. 3 . . 1 Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Virginia, Blacksburg, VA. 2 Virginia Department of Health, Rise Above 3 . Department of Preventive Medicine, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Discussion and Conclusions

Results

Abstract

References Future Directions: Moving forward, the goal is to include a control group, and continue fostering trust with this community to allow respondents to feel comfortable identifying what stage of addiction they fall into (never, current, recovery, relapse). With this additional data, we hope to establish a correlation between trauma and addiction and to advocate for TIC. This can lead to further identification of impactful TIC strategies and expand the scope to evaluate recovery outcomes across treatment settings. Research can further expand longitudinally and evaluate sustained recovery compared to relapse over a greater time period. Conclusions: These findings suggest a high prevalence of traumatic events among residents of Pulaski County. Nearly all respondents in the initial field study reported being directly affected by at least one traumatic event. The most commonly reported experiences included physical and sexual assault, unwanted sexual encounters, sudden accidental death, and sudden violent death. Compared with the BTQ, the data indicate that although the type and severity of trauma varied, exposure to traumatic experiences was widespread across respondents. Discussion: Our preliminary data collection in partnership with Rise Above highlights the significant trauma burden faced by individuals currently coping with or seeking support for addiction. We plan to expand our work to further examine the relationship between trauma exposure and substance use, with the goal of identifying strategies that better meet the needs of the Pulaski community. Implementing trauma-informed care (TIC) within harm reduction services has the potential to foster healthier coping mechanisms, lower relapse risk, and improve long-term recovery outcomes. Emphasizing trauma as a central component of addiction treatment underscores why TIC is essential in supporting recovery. Looking ahead, collaboration with local organizations and community stakeholders will be critical for sustaining these efforts and ensuring that care approaches remain accessible, culturally relevant, and responsive to community needs. Limitations: While partnered with Rise Above, we have worked to establish trust within the community and specifically those actively using the harm reduction services. Due to the sensitive nature of the questions we are asking and the unfortunate stigma that these people have suffered in the current health care system, it is incredibly difficult to get quantifiable data. At this point our project is hindered by extremely low survey participation and lack of a control of those who have experienced trauma but do not actively admit addiction or actively seeking care for it.

Background: Trauma is a well-documented risk factor in both the development and persistence of Substance Use Disorder (SUD). Many individuals in recovery report that traditional treatment programs often overlook or insufficiently address the underlying effects of trauma, creating significant barriers to sustained healing and recovery. Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) provides a comprehensive framework that acknowledges the widespread impact of trauma and actively integrates this understanding into addiction treatment and recovery strategies. This project aims to identify and explore the gaps in trauma-informed care for individuals with SUD, particularly those residing in rural settings, where access to integrated, holistic services is often limited. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that implementing trauma informed approaches in addiction recovery programs will increase coping capacity, reduce relapse rates, and enhance individuals’ perceptions of recovery support. Methods: Design: Cross-sectional study with pre- and post-test evaluation to assess changes in coping strategies and perceptions of trauma-informed care . . Participants: Adults in recovery from drug addiction, recruited through Rise Above consented to participate and filled two surveys with 17 questions total . Data Collection & Study Variables: Deidentified surveys and questionnaires to assess trauma exposure, coping strategies, and recovery experiences. Optional semi-structured interviews for qualitative depth. Observations of recovery programs offered by Rise Above. Study variables: the questions of the survey seeing trauma burden Data Analysis: Quantitative: Descriptive and inferential statistics to identify trends and risk factors. Qualitative: Thematic analysis to explore lived experiences. Confidentiality: All data de-identified; research team only has access. Methods

Life Events Checklist 5 (DSM) Scores

1. Natural disaster

2. Fire or explosion

3. Transportation accident

4. Serious accident

5. Exposure to toxic substance

6. Physical assault

7. Assault with a weapon

8. Sexual assault

9. Other unwanted sexual experience

10. Combat/war-zone exposure

11. Captivity

12. Life-threatening illness or injury

13. Severe human suffering

14. Sudden violent death

15. Sudden accidental death

16. Serious injury/harm/death to others

17. Any other very stressful event

4.5

4

3.5

3

2.5

2

Count of LEC5 Events

1.5

1

0.5

0

Happened to me

Witnessed it

Learned about it

Figure 1: Frequency of participant-reported exposure to selected traumatic event categories from the Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 (LEC-5). This figure highlights the most commonly reported traumatic events among participants, illustrating key areas of exposure within the sample.

Trauma Burden per Responder (DSM-aligned)

12

10

8

6

Yes Count

4

References

2

0

• Chang, X., Jiang, X., Mkandarwire, T., & Shen, M. (2019). Associations between adverse childhood experiences and health outcomes in adults aged 18 – 59 years. PLOS ONE, 14(2), e0211850. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0211850 • Schnurr, P., Vielhauer, M., Weathers, F., & Findler, M. (1999). Brief Trauma Questionnaire (BTQ) [Measurement instrument]. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for PTSD. http://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/assessment/te-measures/brief_trauma_questionnaire_btq.asp • Weathers, F., Blake, D., Schnurr, P., Kaloupek, D., Marx, B., & Keane, T. (2013). Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 (LEC-5)

R1

R2

R3

R4

R5

Responder

Figure 2: This figure demonstrates the responses of the Brief Trauma Questionnaire (BTQ) administered to participants, with scores calculated out of a maximum of 26 points. Each trauma-related factor (event, injury, danger) contributes one point to the total score. The graph compares individual participant scores within a population that shares a background of substance use disorder.

[Measurement instrument]. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for PTSD. https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/assessment/te-measures/life_events_checklist.asp

We would like to acknowledge our partner organization, Rise Above and our coordinator, Chris Alderman. We would also like to acknowledge the VCOM IRB Administration and the IRB committee (#2318326). Acknowledgements Acknowledgements