Citation

Florez IA, Mekawi Y, Hunnicutt-Ferguson K, Visser KF, Clunie AM, Dunn SE, Kaslow NJ. J. Ethn. Subst. Abuse 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/15332640.2020.1725707

PMID

32065558

Abstract

The study explored associations among childhood abuse, post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), and alcohol misuse in a sample of low-income African-American women (N = 172). Using bootstrapping techniques, a mediation effect was found of childhood physical and emotional abuse on alcohol misuse via PTSS symptom severity, avoidance, and hyperarousal, as well as for childhood sexual abuse on alcohol misuse via PTSS symptom severity and hyperarousal. Our results suggest that PTSS indicators, particularly symptom severity and hyperarousal, may be important mechanisms underlying the association of experiences of abuse during childhood and alcohol misuse in adulthood.

Language: en

Keywords

African-American women; alcohol misuse; childhood abuse; low-income; posttraumatic stress disorder