Citation

Hawn SE, Chowdhury N, Kevorkian S, Sheth D, Brown RC, Berenz E, McDonald S, Pickett T, Danielson CK, Thomas S, Amstadter AB. J. Mil. Veteran Fam. Health 2019; 5(2): 88-99.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, University of Toronto Press)

DOI

10.3138/jmvfh.2018-0002

PMID

34307838

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: A strong association between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and problematic alcohol use has been demonstrated among Veteran populations exposed to combat trauma. Several traits, such as higher levels of risk-taking propensity (RTP) and impulsivity (e.g., negative urgency [NU]), are associated with both increased PTSD symptom-atology and greater alcohol use problems.

METHODS: The present study examined the effects of NU and RTP on alcohol use (measured by average weekly alcohol consumption and number of binge drinking days in 1 month), as well as their potential moderating effects on the association between PTSD symptom severity and alcohol use in a sample of Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND) US Veterans. We hypothesized that NU and RTP would both significantly predict alcohol use and moderate the relation between PTSD symptom severity and alcohol use, such that the association between PTSD symptoms and alcohol use would be greater among individuals high compared to low in NU and RTP.

RESULTS: As hypothesized, the main effects of RTP and NU were significantly positively associated with average weekly alcohol consumption and the number of binge drinking days in the past month. However, neither NU nor RTP moderated the relation between PTSD and either alcohol variable.

DISCUSSION: NU and RTP may represent transdiagnostic risk markers for PTSD and alcohol use problems; however, the current study did not support an exploratory role of NU or RTP in the association between PTSD and alcohol use phenotypes.

Language: en

Keywords

PTSD; impulsivity; alcohol use; combat; Iraq; negative urgency; OEF; OIF; OND; risk-taking propensity; US Veterans