“It's impacted on everything. It's impacted on my work, it's impacted on relationships, it's impacted on everything I have done” said a significant other: A qualitative exploration of the experience of significant others who provide support to individuals attending intervention for complex trauma

Background

The support of family and friends is known to be an influential factor in managing the impact of trauma. However, research examining the experience of providing this support and the potential impact this role may have on the relationship between supporters and the supported is limited.

Objective

This study aimed to qualitatively explore the experience of adult significant others as they support their adult loved ones before and during intervention for complex trauma.

Method

Eleven attendees of an established triphasic complex trauma intervention and nine nominated significant others completed semi-structured interviews post-intervention (N = 20). The 3 phases of the intervention were: (1) safety, stabilisation, and connection; (2) remembering and telling your story; and (3) looking forward, reclaiming your life, and reconnecting in relationships. CFT informed the group sessions across all 3 phases, with individual sessions of EMDR or Prolonged Exposure offered during phase 2. Significant others were not included in the intervention. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse data and develop themes summarising key experiences preceding, during and on the conclusion of treatment. Individual interviews were conducted and analysed separately. Four key themes were developed and mapped, capturing independent and overlapping experiences from the perspective of intervention attendees and their significant others: (1) support as multifaceted and integral, (2) the emotional impact and systemic strain of supporting, (3) intervention-associated shifts, and (4) the need for systemic support from services.

Results

The data indicated that significant others experience distress and exert considerable effort to support those managing trauma symptoms. The intervention was suggested to facilitate behavioural, emotional, and relational changes. Participants reported that a lack of available information for supporters unintentionally placed those attending intervention in an educator role. The inclusion of significant others in the intervention was proposed as a means of alleviating strain on both the individual and the support system.

Conclusion

Significant others who provide support to adults experiencing symptoms associated with complex trauma hold an important but challenging role that lacks support from services and is often underacknowledged. Greater but case-specific inclusion of supporters in intervention for complex trauma should be considered.