This study evaluated the feasibility and preliminary outcomes of implementing Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR), a trauma-informed intervention, in a southeastern U.S. county jail. Over 15 months, 81 participants were randomized to receive 12 STAIR sessions during incarceration or split between jail and community. Pre- and postintervention data were analyzed for 38 participants. Statistically significant reductions in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; p = .002), depression ( p = .018), and anxiety ( p = .021) were observed, with small to moderate effect sizes. Improvements in coping self-efficacy and emotion regulation were noted but not statistically significant. Qualitative analysis of 37 interviews identified themes such as having time and space to participate, the importance of facilitators, and understanding the material. Barriers included community attrition and the need for population-specific materials. Despite threats to internal validity, findings support the feasibility of trauma-informed programming in jails and suggest implications for correctional and reentry-focused social work practice.
Renn et al. (2025) studied this question.