Self-help groups and incest trauma

Abstract

The aim of this study is to assess the effects of a self-help group on the discourse of incest victims. Sharing a traumatic experience and talking about its main consequences with other participants provides victims with a safe space encouraging verbalization and psychical working out. This research was conducted at Marseille in France, in collaboration with the international association for incest victims. Data were collected during the monthly self-help groups. We compared the evolution of the participants’ discourse between September 2015 and June 2016. A semantic analysis was conducted using Tropes and Emotaix software. Through support, listening and a feeling of belonging, self-help groups create an environment of trust and security that encourages sharing processes and working out processes by offering a safe environment for talking and listening. Self-help groups also provide additional support to conventional, individual therapies where victims can talk about their traumatic experience.