Strengthening the Inner Woman (SIW) Project Overview
Who is conducting the study?
The University of South Australia, in collaboration with the Adelaide Southern Regions Transcendental Meditation Centre, are conducting a pilot randomised, controlled trial to compare the effectiveness of two different approaches to improving stress, mood and quality of life in women affected by domestic violence. The Project is being funded through the David Lynch Foundation Australia.
Who is eligible to participate in the study?
Women affected by any form of domestic violence, living in South Australia, able to commit to the intervention/control schedule and capable of providing informed consent, will be eligible to participate in the project. Women with a diagnosed psychiatric condition such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia will be excluded. Anyone taking non-prescribed drugs also will be asked to abstain from taking these drugs for at least 15 days prior to commencing the trial, and throughout the trial period.
What interventions will participants be exposed to?
Women assigned to the intervention group will complete training in the Transcendental Meditation® (TM) technique over a period of 8 weeks, with a follow-up session held two months after completion of the training. The instruction sessions will take place at the Hackham West Children’s Centre. The training will be delivered by qualified and experienced instructors of the Transcendental Meditation® technique. The project is scheduled to commence in July 2020 but will be ongoing.
Women in the control group will participate in group support sessions, equivalent in frequency and duration to the TM group. The support group sessions, and 2-month follow-up session, will be delivered by a qualified and experienced social worker in small groups to ensure women are adequately supported. These sessions will be conducted at the Hackham West Community Centre.
What outcomes will be measured?
The study will explore the impact of two different approaches on the following outcomes:
- Quality of life,
- Perceived level of stress, anxiety and depression
- Participant’s experience of approach.
Has the study been approved by an ethics committee?
This project has been approved by the University of South Australia Human Research Ethics Committee.
Where can I get further information about this project?
Strengthening the Inner Woman Facebook Group
Heather Lorenzon, on 0416 108 476, or email: hlorenzon@tm.org.au or
Dr Matthew Leach, on 0466 434 881, or email: matthew.leach@unisa.edu.au
