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Substance Related Disorders / Stress Disorders, Post Traumatic · Journal article
European Journal of Psychotraumatology · August 24, 2026
Early or partial results. Treat as a signal, not a conclusion.
This feasibility and acceptability study of STAR (a 17-minute video) and TextSTAR (a 21-day text message program) delivered acutely post-sexual assault demonstrates acceptable user ratings and good enrollment and retention, suggesting the interventions can be delivered in this population. However, the study does not evaluate clinical efficacy on PTSD or substance misuse outcomes; it is designed to establish feasibility prior to a full efficacy trial.
Feasibility study using Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Controlled Trial (SMART) design. Women age 18 or older who presented for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Exam (SAMFE) within 7 days of sexual assault.. Intervention: STAR: 17-minute video providing psychoeducation about trauma, strategies to reduce fear and avoidance, suggestions to increase social support, and coping strategies for substance use. TextSTAR: 21-day text message program with similar cont…. Compared with: No video (first stage); no-text program (second stage, conditional on meeting acute stress or opioid use threshold).. n = 50. Not explicitly stated; multiple US-based institutions listed (University of Wisconsin–Madison, Georgia State University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Birmingham Crisis C….
80% of participants who received STAR found it extremely acceptable 60–90% of participants who received TextSTAR found it at least moderately acceptable, depending on timepoint Enrollment of 50 participants achieved; 94% retained at 1 week and 90% retained at 4 weeks post-SAMFE
Safety was not reported in the material analysed. Check the source before drawing any conclusion about harm.
Clinicians and program designers evaluating acute post-sexual assault intervention delivery may use these findings to support rollout feasibility, but should recognize this study does not demonstrate clinical benefit for PTSD or substance misuse prevention. Efficacy trials are needed before adoption for clinical outcomes.
A feasibility and acceptability study using a SMART design with modest sample size and surrogate endpoints (acceptability ratings, retention); establishes that intervention delivery is viable but provides no efficacy data on clinical outcomes.
As stated by the source record.
Quoted from the source exactly as published.
Clinicians and program designers evaluating acute post-sexual assault intervention delivery may use these findings to support rollout feasibility, but should recognize this study does not demonstrate clinical benefit for PTSD or substance misuse prevention. Efficacy trials are needed before adoption for clinical outcomes.
Graded across the dimensions that decide whether you should act, each from what the source actually supports. There is no single score, and where a dimension was not assessed it says so.
Background: Sexual assault (SA) affects more than 50% of women in the United States and is associated with elevated risk for impairing posttraumatic stress symptoms and substance, particularly opioid, misuse. Intervening following SA exposure could attenuate these risks.Objective: This study examined the acceptability and feasibility of a 17-minute video, Skills Training in Affective Recovery (STAR) and a 21-day text message program (TextSTAR), that were delivered in the acute post-SA period to prevent the onset or escalation of posttraumatic stress symptoms and substance misuse. The interventions provide psychoeducation about trauma, strategies to reduce fear and avoidance, suggestions to increase social support, and coping strategies for substance use.Method: Participants were 50 women age 18 or older who presented for a Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Exam (SAMFE) within seven days of a SA. Using a Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Controlled Trial (SMART) design, participants were randomized to receive the STAR video (n = 25) or no video (n = 25) at the SAMFE. Those who received the video answered questions about video acceptability immediately after viewing the video. At 1-week post-SAMFE, participants completed online questionnaires about substance use and posttraumatic stress; those above threshold on acute stress or opioid use (n = 36) were randomized to TextSTAR (n = 18) or no-text program (n = 18). Participants completed weekly online surveys 2-4 weeks post-SAMFE about symptoms and text program acceptability.Results: Participants found STAR and TextSTAR at least moderately acceptable; 80% who received STAR found it extremely acceptable while 60-90% (depending on timepoint) who received TextSTAR found it at least moderately acceptable. Our ability to enroll 50 participants and retain 94% at 1 week and 90% at 4 weeks suggests the intervention trial is feasible.Conclusions: STAR and TextSTAR are acceptable and feasible brief interventions for recent sexual assault survivors.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT06456190.
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