Dworkin ER, Ojalehto H, Bedard-Gilligan MA, Cadigan JM, Kaysen D. J. Affect. Disord. 2017; 229: 135-140.
Affiliation
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, 1100 NE 45th Street, Suite 300, UW Box 354944, Seattle, WA 98195, United States.
BACKGROUND: After sexual assault, many college women develop symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and those who engage in substance use coping are at heightened risk for this outcome. Positively-perceived social support has been identified as an important protective factor against the development of PTSD, but received social support could involve problematic behaviors-like the encouragement of coping through use of alcohol and/or drugs-that could worsen symptoms.
METHODS: In the current study, 147 undergraduate women with a lifetime history of sexual assault completed two waves of self-report measures assessing their symptoms. We test main and interaction effects for social support and substance use coping at baseline on PTSD symptoms one month later.
RESULTS: Results suggest that social support is longitudinally associated with decreases in PTSD. Although substance use coping did not evidence a direct association with PTSD, the relationship between social support and PTSD was significantly weaker as substance use coping increased. Only support from friends (but not family members or a "special person") was associated with later PTSD, and this relationship was moderated by substance use coping. LIMITATIONS: Substance use coping was assessed via a brief measure, and peer encouragement of coping by using alcohol and/or drugs was not directly assessed.
CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should consider ways to increase access to social support from friends in patients with PTSD and evaluate ways that substance use coping may interfere with social support's benefits.