Download For Immediate Release News from Routledge May 2014 Study from

For Immediate Release
News from Routledge
May 2014
Study from Journal of Dual Diagnosis Examines Ties between Alcohol and PTSD
Alcohol abuse occurs in 52% of men and 28% of women with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Comorbid alcoholism
and PTSD leads more frequently to low income, unemployment, and overall social dysfunction than either condition on its
own, in part due to the clinical challenges their simultaneous treatment poses. Researchers at North Dakota State
University set out to examine relationships between the factors contributing to these challenges. Their findings are
available in the Journal of Dual Diagnosis from Routledge, a Member of Taylor & Francis Group.
From Journal of Dual Diagnosis:
Problematic Alcohol Use, Trauma History, and PTSD Symptom Level: A Path Analysis
Robert D. Dvorak PhD, Ashley M. Arens PhD, Nicholas J. Kuvaas MPH, Thomas J. Williams BS & Tess M. Kilwein BS
Download this article with Free Access. Go to www.tandfonline.com/WJDD and look at Journal News.
A sample of 313 college-aged participants completed The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), The
Multidimensional Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire (MEAQ), The PTSD Checklist Plus–Civilian version (PCL-C), and
The Drinking Motives Questionnaire. Results were divided into two groups for analysis, depending on the severity of
PTSD symptoms in the respondent. A multi-group path model examined associations between experiential avoidance,
drinking motives, alcohol use, and alcohol problems across these two groups.
Researchers found that respondents with more severe PTSD symptoms showed a higher degree of association between
problem drinking and a need to regulate negative affect (“coping motives”). Additionally, associations between negative
attitudes toward distress and alcohol-related consequences were stronger among the more severe PTSD sufferers. Thus,
for individuals with severe PTSD, practicing the ability to carry out uncomfortable activities may be associated with a
decreased likelihood of comorbid alcohol use disorder. The less severe PTSD symptom group was associated
significantly with drinking to avoid stressful situations, running counter to the researchers’ hypothesis in this area. Overall,
these findings point towards the need for PTSD treatment that takes into account the relationship between co-occurring
symptoms and varying degrees of alcohol involvement.
About the Journal of Dual Diagnosis
Journal of Dual Diagnosis includes articles and perspectives from four overarching domains relevant to the field:
Psychopharmacology & Neurobiology; Psychotherapy & Psychosocial Issues; Services & Policy; and Clinical Forum.
Each issue serves to encourage integration of these domains. The Journal seeks to publish articles relevant to a wide
range of people interested in dual diagnosis: researchers, physicians, clinicians, trainees, administrators, and policy
makers. High-quality empirical research, brief reports, timely reviews, thought-provoking commentaries, and ongoing
discussions of clinical issues will be considered for publication, all with the aim of developing a better understanding of the
basis of, and optimal treatment for, co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders.
2012 Journal Citations Report® ranks Journal of Dual Diagnosis in the Social Science Citation Index categories of
Substance Abuse and Psychiatry.
© 2013 Thomson Reuters, Journal Citation Reports®
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