title: The relationship between child abuse and negative outcomes among substance users: psychopathology, health, and comorbidities.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adults with substance use disorders (SUDs) report higher rates of child abuse than adults without SUDs. Prior work suggests that this abuse is associated with higher rates of psychosis, posttraumatic stress disorder, physical health problems, alcohol dependence, and cannabis dependence among substance users. Little is known about other problems associated with child abuse experienced by substance users. We hypothesized that among adults with SUDs, child abuse would be associated with elevated rates of all Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV-TR) psychiatric disorders, substance dependencies, and comorbidities assessed.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed 280 inpatients in substance use treatment with the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV-TR, the Diagnostic Instrument for Personality Disorders, and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). We used chi-square and regression analyses to establish whether rates of psychiatric disorders, substance dependencies, and comorbidities differed as a function of child abuse.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Consistent with our hypotheses, higher scores on the CTQ were associated with elevated rates of psychiatric disorders (mood disorders, anxiety disorders, psychotic symptoms, and personality disorders) and substance dependencies (alcohol dependence and cocaine dependence). Moreover, higher rates of all comorbidity patterns (e.g. comorbid alcohol dependence and anxiety) were observed among individuals who reported experiencing child abuse. Across all substance dependencies examined, individuals who had been abused had significantly higher rates of all psychiatric disorders assessed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Individuals with substance use disorders who have been abused have particularly elevated rates of psychiatric and substance use disorders as a function of their abuse experiences. These findings have important treatment implications for individuals in residential substance use treatment settings.
authors: Center for Addictions, Personality, and Emotion Research, University of Maryland College Park, Department of Psychology, 1147 Biology Psychology Building, College Park, MD 20742, United States. Electronic address: anne.banducci@gmail.com.
authors: Anne N
authors: AN
authors: Banducci
authors: Center for Addictions, Personality, and Emotion Research, University of Maryland College Park, Department of Psychology, 1147 Biology Psychology Building, College Park, MD 20742, United States.
authors: Elana
authors: E
authors: Hoffman
authors: Center for Addictions, Personality, and Emotion Research, University of Maryland College Park, Department of Psychology, 1147 Biology Psychology Building, College Park, MD 20742, United States.
authors: C W
authors: CW
authors: Lejuez
authors: Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, Room 720G, New York, NY 10032, United States.
authors: Karestan C
authors: KC
authors: Koenen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Child abuse; Comorbidities; Psychopathology; Substance use