Alcohol Use Disorder History Moderates The Relationship Between Avoidance Coping And Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms
accident survivors; administered ptsd scale; alcohol use disorder; avoidance coping; cue reactivity; drug-use; follow-up; major depression; patients; posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); Psychology; sexual assault survivors; social support; structured clinical interview; Substance Abuse; substance use disorder; Substance Abuse
Avoidance coping (AVC) is common in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and in individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Given that PTSD and AUD commonly co-occur, AVC may represent a risk factor for the development of comorbid posttraumatic stress and alcohol use. In this study, the relationship between AVC and PTSD symptoms (PTSS) was examined in individuals with versus without AUDs. Motor vehicle accident (MVA) victims were assessed 6 weeks postaccident for AUD history (i.e. diagnoses of current or past alcohol abuse or dependence) and AVC. PTSS were assessed 6 weeks and 6 months post-MVA. All analyses were conducted on the full sample of MVA victims as well as on the subset of participants who were legally intoxicated (blood alcohol concentration >= 0.08) during the accident. It was hypothesized that the relationship between AVC and PTSS would be stronger in those individuals with an AUD history and especially strong in the subset of individuals who were legally intoxicated during the MVA. Results were largely supportive of this hypothesis, even after controlling for in-hospital PTSS, gender, and current major depression. Early assessment of AUD history and avoidance coping may aid in detecting those at elevated risk for PTSD, and intervening to reduce AVC soon after trauma may help buffer the development of PTSD + AUD comorbidity.
Hruska B; Fallon W; Spoonster E; Sledjeski E M; Delahanty D L
Psychology of Addictive Behaviors
2011
2011-09
Journal Article or Conference Abstract Publication
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1037/a0022439" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1037/a0022439</a>
Application Of The Stressor Vulnerability Model To Understanding Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (ptsd) And Alcohol-related Problems In An Undergraduate Population
alcohol use disorder; differential role; events; exposed college-students; gender differences; identification test; physical abuse; posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); problem drinking; Psychology; refusal self-efficacy; social support; stressor; Substance Abuse; substance use; traumatic; vulnerability model
Research examining the comorbidity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol-use disorder (AUD) suggests that individuals experiencing PTSD symptoms (PTSS) often drink alcohol as a means to self-medicate their trauma symptoms; however, little attention has been given to moderating variables that may make this association more likely. The stressor vulnerability model proposes that being male, relying on maladaptive forms of coping, and holding positive alcohol-outcome expectancies predispose individuals to engage in alcohol use when experiencing psychological distress. In the current study, sex, avoidance coping (AVC), tension-reduction expectancies (TRE), and emotional-relief drinking-refusal self-efficacy. (ERDRSE) were examined as moderators of the relationship between PTSS and alcohol-related problems in a sample of 144 undergraduates. Results indicated that males reporting high levels of TRE exhibited a stronger positive relationship between PTSS and alcohol-related problems than was present for males reporting low levels of TRE and for females reporting either high or low levels of TRE. In addition, a significant positive relationship between PTSS and alcohol-related problems was observed for individuals reporting high levels of TRE and low levels of ERDRSE, but not for individuals reporting high levels of TRE and high levels of ERDRSE, low TRE-low ERDRSE, or low TRE-high ERDRSE. Assessment of these vulnerability factors in traumatized youth and young adults may serve as a useful means of identifying individuals at risk for the development of alcohol-related problems.
Hruska B; Delahanty D L
Psychology of Addictive Behaviors
2012
2012-12
Journal Article or Conference Abstract Publication
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1037/a0027584" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1037/a0027584</a>