Evaluation of Web-Based CBT for Rape Victims

Rape is unfortunately a common experience among women, affecting between 13 and 20%. In addition, up to 50% of all rape victims experience significant and persistent psychological distress. While cognitive-behavioral interventions have been found to be successful at alleviating distress among victims; the majority do not seek out these services, often because of feelings of stigma and self-blame. One potential method for circumventing these barriers is through online administered treatment. Thus, the current project is designed to conduct an initial evaluation of a 12 to 16-week, therapist-facilitated, multi-media, cognitive-behavioral, online intervention tailored specifically for rape victims. The effectiveness of this program at ameliorating distress among college women who have experienced rape and have current posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was evaluated. Reductions in psychological distress was the primary outcome and was assessed at post-intervention and at three and six month follow-up periods. The effectiveness of the intervention was compared to a psycho-educational website.