Journal article2026
A Qualitative Model for Integrative Trauma-Informed Care for Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse in Marginalized South African Communities
This article is open access
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14440/hpr.0210
In plain language
What this publication found
Develops a qualitative Integrative Trauma-Informed Care model for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse, highlighting tailored, equitable trauma recovery that responds to individual needs and the realities of marginalised South African communities.
This publication explored how trauma care can be improved for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse living in communities where poverty, inequality and limited access to specialised mental healthcare create additional barriers to healing. Working with survivors from the Cape Flats in South Africa, the study developed an Integrative Trauma-Informed Care (ITIC) framework that recognises the lasting effects of trauma alongside the social and historical realities that shape recovery. The findings show that trauma care is more effective when it is personalised, culturally responsive and grounded in survivors' lived experiences. The publication offers a practical framework that can strengthen clinical practice, inform service design and improve access to equitable trauma care in resource-constrained settings.
Themes
Key words: Childhood sexual abuse; Trauma-informed care; Qualitative research; South Africa; Health services accessibility
Key finding
The publication offers a practical framework that can strengthen clinical practice, inform service design and improve access to equitable trauma care in resource-constrained settings.
The record
Abstract
As published, for readers who want the full academic summary. The article itself is the version of record.
Abstract as published
Background. Socioeconomic inequality, enforced through racial segregation during apartheid, continues to shape present-day disparities in South Africa. It limits equitable access to essential services and exacerbates health inequities, in particular, access to specialized trauma-focused mental health services in marginalized communities.
Objectives. This study explores the intersections of systemic inequality and sexual violence by developing a qualitative framework for integrative trauma-informed care (ITIC) intended for resource-constrained settings. The study focuses on adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) from the Cape Flats region of Cape Town.
Methods. Framed within a critical, feminist community psychology perspective, ITIC sessions were facilitated for 13 adult survivors of CSA, with variation in the number of sessions and the duration of the intervention. Clinical histories were assessed. Applying ITIC, participant-specific narratives, and trauma recovery pathways were analyzed.
Results. The findings highlight the complex physical and mental health needs of participants, given the long interval that had elapsed since their experiences of CSA. These findings informed the development of a multi-component care framework that addresses prolonged trauma suppression among adult survivors of CSA from marginalized communities, such as the Cape Flats. Despite the long time elapsed between CSA and the initiation of ITIC, this form of therapy supported more equitable trauma recovery.
Conclusion. The study develops a qualitative research-informed care framework that integrates various factors associated with sexual trauma. Addressing the complexities in marginalized South African contexts, it highlights the importance of recognizing individual differences in trauma responses, comorbidities related to systemic violence, and pre- and post-trauma experiences, allowing for tailored interventions that may potentially enhance therapeutic outcomes.
Abstract reproduced from the published article, which is open access under a CC BY-NC 4.0 licence.
How to cite
Leona Morgan, Sarojini Nadar, Ines Keygnaert. A Qualitative Model for Integrative Trauma-Informed Care for Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse in Marginalized South African Communities. Health Psychology Research 2026, 14(1), e81240046. https://doi.org/10.14440/hpr.0210
In plain language
Rethinking how trauma care is provided
A plain-language reading of this publication.
Read in plain languageDoctoral research
- Embodied Care Pathways: Feminist Restorative Therapeutic Approaches for Adult Women Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse in Marginalised ContextsThis article is one of the four papers of the thesis by publication.
The thesis by publication
The four published papers
The thesis is based on four peer-reviewed journal articles that together develop, apply and evaluate the Integrative Trauma-Informed Care (ITIC) model. All four are open access.
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A Qualitative Model for Integrative Trauma-Informed Care for Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse in Marginalized South African Communities
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