An Exploration Of Men’s Experiences Of Childhood Trauma Assessment And Disclosure In Prison

Childhood trauma has been suggested to affect individual performance in rehabilitative programs for violent offending negatively. However, little attention has been given to disclosing childhood trauma in prison contexts. The current study sought to qualitatively investigate New Zealand men in rehabilitative programs for violent offending and their experiences and perceptions of the assessment and disclosure of childhood trauma. Fifteen men from Te Whare Manaakitanga shared their experiences with childhood trauma assessment and disclosure. This data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to identify recurring themes across the dataset. The analysis generated four themes: whanaungatanga, why should I, in one's own time and risk inherent to disclosure. These themes highlighted the importance of practices that support men's relationships with therapists, ensure the men can make informed decisions around assessments, respect that the timing of disclosures may be variable, and are aware that men may perceive subsequent reactions to disclosures as negative consequences. Much of the men’s discourse overlaps with findings examining general therapeutic practice. However, distinct to their context, the men’s experiences were typically framed by an awareness of the power dynamics of the prison environment and how others may perceive their incarcerated status. These findings have implications for approaches to childhood trauma assessment in prison settings. Further supporting the sentiment that approaches to trauma-informed practice, such as assessment, must acknowledge the challenges inherent to the prison context to optimise efficacy.