Coping mediates the relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and alcohol use in homeless, ethnically diverse women: A preliminary study.

Abstract. Exposure to traumatic events and the associated risk of developing Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms is a significant and overlooked concern in the college population. It is important for current research to identify potential protective factors associated with the development and maintenance of PTSD symptoms unique to this population. Emotional intelligence and perceived social support are two identified protective factors that influence the association between exposure to traumatic events and PTSD symptomology. The current study examined the mediating role of social support in the relationship between emotional intelligence and PTSD symptoms. Participants included 443 trauma-exposed university students who completed online questionnaires. The results of this study indicated that social support mediates the relationship between emotional intelligence and reported PTSD symptoms. Thus, emotional intelligence is significantly associated with PTSD symptoms and social support may play an integral role in the relationship between emotional intelligence and PTSD. The current study is the first to investigate the role of social support in the relationship between emotional intelligence and PTSD symptoms. These findings have important treatment and prevention implications with regard to PTSD.

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Associations between posttraumatic stress disorder and substance use: a longitudinal investigation of individuals recently exposed to trauma

10.32920/ryerson.14644506.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sonya G. Wanklyn

Keyword(s):

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Substance Use ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Posttraumatic Stress ◽

Symptom Severity ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Ptsd Symptom ◽

Traumatic Event ◽

Ptsd Symptoms ◽

Ptsd Symptom Severity

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder (SUD) commonly cooccur following trauma, and their co-occurrence is associated with substantial costs; however, our understanding of the timing and sequencing of these posttrauma mental health conditions is limited. This study examined the trajectories of PTSD symptom severity and substance use among individuals recently exposed to a traumatic event, with a focus on the potential moderating roles of PTSD and SUD diagnoses at the final assessment. Additionally, in attempt to better understand the functional relationship between PTSD symptoms and substance use posttrauma, this study compared models reflecting the theories of self-medication, susceptibility, and mutual maintenance. Participants included 137 individuals who had experienced a traumatic event within 6 months prior to study enrollment. Participants completed four assessments over an approximate 1-year period that included clinician-administered measures for DSM-5 PTSD symptoms and SUD diagnosis and self-report measures of alcohol and drug use. Change over time in PTSD symptoms and substance use by diagnostic status were investigated using growth curve models. Temporal sequencing between PTSD symptom severity and substance use was investigated with bivariate latent difference score structural equation modeling. In line with the conceptualization of PTSD as a disorder of impeded recovery, having a diagnosis of PTSD at the final assessment moderated the trajectory of PTSD symptom severity such that symptom severity declined only among those without PTSD. In contrast, the influence of SUD appeared to be negligible. Both PTSD and SUD diagnoses were associated with initial drug use frequency. However, the relationship between alcohol use and diagnostic status did not reach statistical significance. Regarding temporal relationships between PTSD symptoms and substance use, significant and negative PTSD to change in substance use cross-lagged paths were found across most of the models, while only one significant substance use to change in PTSD severity crosslagged path emerged in the PTSD intrusion with alcohol use model. These results add to a growing body of research suggesting trauma-focused intervention is viable for individuals with PTSD/SUD. Further, examination of potential mediators and moderators of the relation between PTSD and SUD is recommended as a critical focus for future research.

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A longitudinal study of several potential mediators of the relationship between child maltreatment and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms

Development and Psychopathology ◽

10.1017/s0954579413000916 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 26 (1) ◽

pp. 81-91 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Chad E. Shenk ◽

Frank W. Putnam ◽

Joseph R. Rausch ◽

James L. Peugh ◽

Jennie G. Noll

Keyword(s):

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Child Maltreatment ◽

Posttraumatic Stress ◽

Experiential Avoidance ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Private Events ◽

Ptsd Symptoms ◽

Sinus Arrhythmia ◽

Maltreated Children ◽

The Relationship

AbstractChild maltreatment is a reliable predictor of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. However, not all maltreated children develop PTSD symptoms, suggesting that additional mediating variables explain how certain maltreated children develop PTSD symptoms and others do not. The current study tested three potential mediators of the relationship between child maltreatment and subsequent PTSD symptoms: (a) respiratory sinus arrhythmia reactivity, (b) cortisol reactivity, and (c) experiential avoidance, or the unwillingness to experience painful private events, such as thoughts and memories. Maltreated (n = 51) and nonmaltreated groups (n = 59) completed a stressor paradigm, a measure of experiential avoidance, and a semistructured interview of PTSD symptoms. One year later, participants were readministered the PTSD symptoms interview. Results of a multiple mediator model showed the set of potential mediators mediated the relationship between child maltreatment and subsequent PTSD symptoms. However, experiential avoidance was the only significant, specific indirect effect, demonstrating that maltreated children avoiding painful private events after the abuse were more likely to develop a range of PTSD symptoms 1 year later. These results highlight the importance of experiential avoidance in the development of PTSD symptoms for maltreated children, and implications for secondary prevention and clinical intervention models are discussed.

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Distant Memories

Psychological Science ◽

10.1111/j.1467-9280.2009.02393.x ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 20 (9) ◽

pp. 1049-1052 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Lucy M. Kenny ◽

Richard A. Bryant ◽

Derrick Silove ◽

Mark Creamer ◽

Meaghan O'Donnell ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Prospective Study ◽

Posttraumatic Stress ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Vantage Point ◽

Ptsd Symptoms ◽

Observer Perspective ◽

Trauma Memory ◽

A Prospective Study ◽

The Relationship

Adopting an observer perspective to recall trauma memories may function as a form of avoidance that maintains posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We conducted a prospective study to analyze the relationship between memory vantage point and PTSD symptoms. Participants (N = 947) identified the vantage point of their trauma memory and reported PTSD symptoms within 4 weeks of the trauma; 730 participants repeated this process 12 months later. Initially recalling the trauma from an observer vantage point was related to more severe PTSD symptoms at that time and 12 months later. Shifting from a field to an observer perspective a year after trauma was associated with greater PTSD severity at 12 months. These results suggest that remembering trauma from an observer vantage point is related to both immediate and ongoing PTSD symptoms.

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Associations between posttraumatic stress disorder and substance use: a longitudinal investigation of individuals recently exposed to trauma

10.32920/ryerson.14644506 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sonya G. Wanklyn

Keyword(s):

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Substance Use ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Posttraumatic Stress ◽

Symptom Severity ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Ptsd Symptom ◽

Traumatic Event ◽

Ptsd Symptoms ◽

Ptsd Symptom Severity

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder (SUD) commonly cooccur following trauma, and their co-occurrence is associated with substantial costs; however, our understanding of the timing and sequencing of these posttrauma mental health conditions is limited. This study examined the trajectories of PTSD symptom severity and substance use among individuals recently exposed to a traumatic event, with a focus on the potential moderating roles of PTSD and SUD diagnoses at the final assessment. Additionally, in attempt to better understand the functional relationship between PTSD symptoms and substance use posttrauma, this study compared models reflecting the theories of self-medication, susceptibility, and mutual maintenance. Participants included 137 individuals who had experienced a traumatic event within 6 months prior to study enrollment. Participants completed four assessments over an approximate 1-year period that included clinician-administered measures for DSM-5 PTSD symptoms and SUD diagnosis and self-report measures of alcohol and drug use. Change over time in PTSD symptoms and substance use by diagnostic status were investigated using growth curve models. Temporal sequencing between PTSD symptom severity and substance use was investigated with bivariate latent difference score structural equation modeling. In line with the conceptualization of PTSD as a disorder of impeded recovery, having a diagnosis of PTSD at the final assessment moderated the trajectory of PTSD symptom severity such that symptom severity declined only among those without PTSD. In contrast, the influence of SUD appeared to be negligible. Both PTSD and SUD diagnoses were associated with initial drug use frequency. However, the relationship between alcohol use and diagnostic status did not reach statistical significance. Regarding temporal relationships between PTSD symptoms and substance use, significant and negative PTSD to change in substance use cross-lagged paths were found across most of the models, while only one significant substance use to change in PTSD severity crosslagged path emerged in the PTSD intrusion with alcohol use model. These results add to a growing body of research suggesting trauma-focused intervention is viable for individuals with PTSD/SUD. Further, examination of potential mediators and moderators of the relation between PTSD and SUD is recommended as a critical focus for future research.

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Genetic and environmental influences on the relationship among combat exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, and alcohol use

Journal of Traumatic Stress ◽

10.1023/a:1011157800050 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 259-275 ◽

Cited By ~ 55

Author(s):

D. Scott McLeod ◽

Karestan C. Koenen ◽

Joanne M. Meyer ◽

Michael J. Lyons ◽

Seth Eisen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Posttraumatic Stress ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Environmental Influences ◽

Combat Exposure ◽

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms ◽

The Relationship

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The Relationship Between Working Alliance and Symptom Improvement in Cognitive Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.602648 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Esther T. Beierl ◽

Hannah Murray ◽

Milan Wiedemann ◽

Emma Warnock-Parkes ◽

Jennifer Wild ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Treatment Outcome ◽

Posttraumatic Stress ◽

Working Alliance ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Ptsd Symptom ◽

Ptsd Symptoms ◽

Symptom Change ◽

Symptom Scores ◽

The Relationship

Background: Working alliance has been shown to predict outcome of psychological treatments in multiple studies. Conversely, changes in outcome scores have also been found to predict working alliance ratings.Objective: To assess the temporal relationships between working alliance and outcome in 230 patients receiving trauma-focused cognitive behavioral treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).Methods: Ratings of working alliance were made by both the patient and therapist after sessions 1, 3, and 5 of a course of Cognitive Therapy for PTSD (CT-PTSD). Autoregressive, cross-lagged panel models were used to examine whether working alliance predicted PTSD symptom severity at the next assessment point and vice versa. Linear regressions tested the relationship between alliance and treatment outcome.Results: Both patients' and therapists' working alliance ratings after session 1 predicted PTSD symptom scores at the end of treatment, controlling for baseline scores. At each assessment point, higher therapist working alliance was associated with lower PTSD symptoms. Crossed-lagged associations were found for therapist-rated alliance, but not for patient-rated alliance: higher therapists' alliance ratings predicted lower PTSD symptom scores at the next assessment point. Similarly, lower PTSD symptoms predicted higher therapist working alliance ratings at the next assessment point. Ruminative thinking was negatively related to therapists' alliance ratings.Conclusions: Working alliance at the start of treatment predicted treatment outcome in patients receiving CT-PTSD and may be an important factor in setting the necessary conditions for effective treatment. For therapists, there was a reciprocal relationship between working alliance and PTSD symptom change in their patients during treatment, suggesting that their alliance ratings predicted symptom change, but were also influenced by patients' symptom change.

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Investigating the Moderating Role of Culture on the Relationship Between Appraisals and Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Clinical Psychological Science ◽

10.1177/2167702619841886 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (5) ◽

pp. 1000-1013 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jessica Bernardi ◽

Laura Jobson

Keyword(s):

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Posttraumatic Stress ◽

Cultural Psychology ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Empirical Work ◽

Ptsd Symptoms ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Self Blame ◽

Cross Sectional Design ◽

The Relationship

Appraisals play a central role in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Accumulating cross-cultural psychology research has demonstrated that culture affects the way in which individuals appraise an experience. However, there is little empirical work considering the influence of culture on appraisals in PTSD. In this study, we investigated the influence of culture on trauma-related appraisals and PTSD symptoms, with a particular focus on appraisals related to control. Trauma-related appraisals and PTSD symptoms were assessed in European Australian ( n = 71) and Asian Australian ( n = 73) adult trauma survivors. The group (European Australian vs. Asian Australian) was found to moderate the relationship between control, responsibility, and agency-focused appraisals (mental defeat, mastery, present control, and self-blame) and PTSD symptoms. Findings suggest that the relationship between these appraisal types and PTSD is influenced by the extent to which an individual emphasizes the independent self-construal. The cross-sectional design prevents causal inferences being drawn from the findings. Implications for culturally informed PTSD models and treatments are discussed.

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