title: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms mediate the relationship between substance misuse and violent offending among female prisoners.
abstract: Despite empirical evidence suggesting complex associations between psychological trauma, substance misuse, and violent offending, there is a dearth of research investigating these associations in the female prison population.
  
  
  
  A cross-sectional, interview-format questionnaire study was undertaken with a sample of 89 female prisoners. History of traumatic events, DSM-5 PTSD, drug use, and offending behaviour were assessed.
  
  
  
  Traumatic experiences had occurred in 97.8 % of the sample, while 60.5 % met criteria for a PTSD diagnosis. The majority of the sample (70.8 %) reported using illicit drugs, and 59.6 % had committed at least one violent offence. History of drug use was significantly correlated with trauma, PTSD status, and violent offending. A mediation analysis identified an indirect effect of PTSD symptoms on the relationship between history of drug use and violent offending.
  
  
  
  The result of our mediation analysis further highlights the importance of addressing PTSD symptoms and substance misuse, among female offenders, to help prevent violent offending.
authors: School of Health and Social Care, Edinburgh Napier University, Sighthill Campus, Sighthill Court, Edinburgh, EH11 4BN, UK.
authors: Ruth
authors: R
authors: Howard
authors: School of Health and Social Care, Edinburgh Napier University, Sighthill Campus, Sighthill Court, Edinburgh, EH11 4BN, UK. t.karatzias@napier.ac.uk.|NHS Lothian, Rivers Centre for Traumatic Stress, Edinburgh, UK. t.karatzias@napier.ac.uk.
authors: Thanos
authors: T
authors: Karatzias
authors: NHS Tayside, Psychological Therapies Service, Stirling, UK.|School of Natural Sciences, Stirling University, Stirling, UK.
authors: Kevin
authors: K
authors: Power
authors: HMP YOI Cornton Vale, Scottish Prison Service, Stirling, UK.
authors: Adam
authors: A
authors: Mahoney
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D057237:Criminals / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Female prisoners; Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); Substance misuse; Violent offending