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>
"Why me?": Low-Income Women's Poverty Attributions, Mental Health, and Social Class Perceptions
Mental Health; self-esteem; Psychology; Poverty; adjustment; united-states; impact; events; beliefs; Women's Studies; Attributions; causal attributions; Social Class Perceptions; stigma; welfare recipient attitudes; white women
Although much is known about broad societal attitudes toward poverty, less is known about how women perceive their own poverty. We sought to examine the types of self attributions low-income women make about their poverty, as well as the association of self poverty attributions to women's mental health and upward mobility beliefs. Using close-ended questions in a community sample of 66 low-income mothers from the Midwestern United States, we found these women were most likely to attribute their poverty to issues related to having children, their romantic relationships, and structural/government blame. The least endorsed attributions for poverty were fatalistic and individualistic reasons. Attributing one's poverty to children and structural reasons was related to greater depression, and attributing one's poverty to romantic relationships and structural reasons was related to greater anxiety. Moreover, attributing one's poverty to children and romantic relationships was positively related to upward mobility beliefs, whereas individualistic attributions were negatively related to upward mobility beliefs. Understanding how women view their poverty and upward mobility can help to improve interventions and policies aimed at low-income women.
Mickelson K D; Hazlett E
Sex Roles
2014
2014-11
Journal Article or Conference Abstract Publication
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-014-0414-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1007/s11199-014-0414-4</a>