title: The temporal relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder and problem alcohol use following traumatic injury.
abstract: Chronic alcohol abuse is a major public health concern following trauma exposure; however, little is known about the temporal association between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and problem alcohol use. The current study examined the temporal relationship between PTSD symptom clusters (re-experiencing, effortful avoidance, emotional numbing, and hyperarousal) and problem alcohol use following trauma exposure. This study was a longitudinal survey of randomly selected traumatic injury patients interviewed at baseline, 3 months, 12 months, and 24 months following injury. Participants were 1,139 injury patients recruited upon admission from 4 Level 1 trauma centers across Australia. Participants were assessed using the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Results indicated that high levels of re-experiencing, effortful avoidance, and hyperarousal symptoms at 12 months were associated with greater increases (or smaller decreases) in problem alcohol use between 12 and 24 months. Findings also suggested that high levels of problem alcohol use at 12 months were associated with greater increases (or smaller decreases) in emotional numbing symptoms between 12 and 24 months. These findings highlight the critical importance of the chronic period following trauma exposure in the relationship between PTSD symptoms and problem alcohol use.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nickerson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Delaware.
authors.forename: J Ben
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.affiliation: Australian Center for Posttraumatic Mental Health.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Creamer
authors.affiliation: Australian Center for Posttraumatic Mental Health.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Forbes
authors.affiliation: Centre for Traumatic Stress Studies, The University of Adelaide.
authors.forename: Alexander C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: McFarlane
authors.affiliation: Australian Center for Posttraumatic Mental Health.
authors.forename: Meaghan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: O'Donnell
authors.affiliation: School of Psychiatry, UNSW Australia.
authors.forename: Derrick
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Silove
authors.affiliation: School of Psychiatry, UNSW Australia.
authors.forename: Zachary
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Steel
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, UNSW Australia.
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bryant
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*