Depression, Posttraumatic Stress & Alcohol Misuse in Young Adult Veterans: The Transdiagnostic Role of Distress Tolerance
BACKGROUND:
Alcohol
misuse is common among young adult veterans, and is commonly associated with
depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In fact, rates of comorbid
depression, PTSD, and problem drinking are high in this population. Although
distress tolerance, the capacity to experience and withstand negative
psychological states, has been examined as a potential transdiagnostic factor
that accounts for the development of mental health disorders, problem drinking,
and the comorbidity between these presenting concerns, its role has not been
evaluated in a veteran population.
METHODS:
Young
adult veterans were recruited for an online survey related to alcohol use.
Participants (n=783) completed self-report measures of alcohol use, depression
and PTSD symptoms, and distress tolerance. Mediation models were conducted to
examine whether distress tolerance mediated the relationship between (1)
probable PTSD, (2) probable depression, and (3) comorbid probable PTSD and
depression with alcohol misuse. Moderated mediation models were conducted to
examine gender as a moderator.
RESULTS:
Significant
bivariate associations were observed among mental health symptoms, distress
tolerance, and alcohol misuse. Distress tolerance significantly mediated the
relationship between probable depression and PTSD (both alone and in
combination) and alcohol misuse. Evidence of moderated mediation was present
for probable PTSD and probable comorbid PTSD and depression, such that the
indirect effect was stronger among males.
CONCLUSIONS:
These
results suggest that distress tolerance may be a transdiagnostic factor explaining
the comorbidity of depression and PTSD with alcohol misuse in young adult
veterans. These findings may inform screening and intervention efforts with
this high-risk population.
- 1RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90407, United States. Electronic address: holliday@rand.org.
- 2RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90407, United States.
- 3University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States.
- Drug Alcohol Depend. 2016 Apr 1;161:348-55. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.02.030. Epub 2016 Feb 27.
No comments:
Post a Comment