We are excited to announce that we have published the key research findings from our pilot evaluation of the Healing and Resilience after Trauma (HaRT) program. HaRT is a 12-week group mental health program for survivors incorporating mindfulness, mind-body practices, and supportive group discussions. The intervention explores three core themes: 1) safety in the body, 2) radical self-love, and 3) healthy relationships.
With financial support from the Human Trafficking Research Initiative (HTRI) at Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), we collaborated with the nonprofit organization HaRT and the University of Alabama School of Social Work to conduct an evaluation of the HaRT program with survivors of human trafficking in the Philippines using a convergent mixed-method design. We interviewed survivors at three time points: baseline, end-of-program, and two-month follow-up, tracking the impact of participation on symptoms of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We also conducted in-depth interviews regarding perceived acceptability, feasibility, and self-identified changes in mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing.
Our research found that participation in HaRT led to significant reductions in symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD among survivors. Specifically, rates of depression dropped from 61% to 11%, rates of PTSD dropped from 56% to 17%, and rates of anxiety declined from 44% to 6% among the participants in the HaRT program. Research findings demonstrated that these improvements were sustained over time after the program finished, suggesting the longer-term impact of the program.
Although the anti-human trafficking sector has recognized the need to address survivors’ mental health needs, most survivors do not have access to evidence-based mental health interventions. Evaluations of mental health programs remain scarce, particularly in low-resource contexts. This study addresses the gap in evidence-based reintegration support programs for survivors by delivering and evaluating a trauma-informed, survivor-centered mental health intervention that can be feasibly implemented in a low-resource setting.
To read our research findings, refer to our manuscript published in the Social Work in Mental Health journal.
