The effectiveness of the Moms’ Empowerment Program (MEP) in reducing post-traumatic stress symptoms and depressive symptoms among Iranian mothers surviving intimate partner violence
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Purpose
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global health crisis with severe psychological sequelae. While the Moms’ Empowerment Program (MEP) is an evidence-based intervention, its efficacy in non-Western contexts remains under-explored. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a systematically, culturally adapted MEP in reducing post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and depressive symptoms among Iranian mothers who have survived IPV.
Methods
A single-case experimental design (SCED) with an A-B-Follow-up framework was replicated across eight female participants ( N = 8) recruited from community shelters. The intervention consisted of a 10-week, group-based MEP. PTSS and depressive symptoms were measured repeatedly across baseline, intervention, and a three-month follow-up phase using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) and the Beck Depression Inventory-Short Form (BDI-SF).
Results
Visual analysis revealed an immediate, marked, and consistent reduction in both PTSS and depression scores for all eight participants following the introduction of the intervention. Therapeutic gains were durably maintained throughout the follow-up period. The effects were of a large magnitude, with individual-level Cohen's d effect sizes ranging from 1.64 to 1.83.
Conclusions
This study provides strong preliminary evidence that a culturally adapted MEP can be a highly effective intervention for treating the psychological wounds of IPV in a non-Western, Middle Eastern context. The findings underscore the critical importance of culturally sensitive, evidence-based care and support the program's potential for broader global application.
