title: Posttraumatic stress symptoms and alcohol problems: self-medication or trait vulnerability?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSD) and problem alcohol use (ALC) commonly co-occur, but the nature of this co-occurrence is unclear. Self-medication explanations have been forwarded, yet traits such as tendency toward negative emotionality and behavioral disconstraint also have been implicated. In this study we test three competing models (Self-Medication, Trait Vulnerability, Combined Dual Pathway) of PTSD-ALC prospectively in a college sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (N=659; 73% female, M age=18) provided data at college matriculation (Time 1) and 1 year later (Time 2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Structural equation models showed disconstraint to meditate the path from PTSD symptoms to alcohol problems, supporting a trait vulnerability conceptualization. Findings regarding negative emotionality and self-medication were more mixed. Negative emotionality played a stronger role in cross-sectional than in prospective analyses, suggesting the importance of temporal proximity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Self-regulation skills may be an important focus for clinicians treating PTSD symptoms and alcohol misuse disorders concurrently.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York.
authors.forename: Jennifer P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Read
authors.forename: Jennifer E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Merrill
authors.forename: Melissa J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.forename: Rachel L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Bachrach
authors.forename: Saba N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry) / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012651:Self Medication / Q000523:psychology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D063189:Symptom Assessment