PTSD Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

PTSD

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a very serious ailment that received a great deal of attention after the Vietnam War. In recent years, researchers have found a strong correlation between posttraumatic stress disorder, intimate partner abuse and alcohol dependency. The purpose of this discussion is to provide a review and critique of the research conducted in the last seven years regarding intimate partner abuse, posttraumatic stress disorder and alcohol dependency and the interrelationship between these three factors.

An article found in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, entitled "Intimate Violence and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Individuals with Cocaine Dependence" explores the relationship between PTSD intimate abuse, and substance use disorder (SUD). The authors Brady, Byrne, and Dansky (1999) designed the study to investigate the correlation between the three. There were 91 participants (33 women and 58 men) in the study. All of the participants were being treated for cocaine dependence at a medical center substance abuse clinic. In addition, all of the participants were interviewed to establish eligibility for a research protocol examining carbamazepine, depression, and cocaine dependence (Brady, Byrne, and Dansky 1999).

The mean age was 31.97 years (SD = 6.15, range 20-51). Nearly half of the participants were Caucasian (51.3%) and the other half were African-American (48.7%). In addition, about 50% had steady employment. Additionally most of the participants were high school graduates (78.3%), and 32.1% of those that graduated high school completed some college (Brady, Byrne, and Dansky 1999). Female and male subject did not differ significantly in race, age, marital status, education, or employment (Brady, Byrne, and Dansky 1999).

According to the aforementioned study, eighty five percent of the "participants attacked or threatened with a weapon by an intimate partner indicated that they feared death or serious injury as a result of the attack. A majority (80.0%) of victims of aggravated assaults perpetrated by an intimate partner and that did not involve the use of a weapon also reported that they feared death or serious injury during the assault (Brady, Byrne, and Dansky 1999)."

Additionally the authors explain that amongst the 78 individuals with a history of intimate abuse, approximately one-fourth (24.4%) met measures for PTSD during the 6 months prior to the assessment (Brady, Byrne, and Dansky 1999). An estimated 46.2% of these participants met measures for PTSD at some time in their lifetime (Brady, Byrne, and Dansky 1999).

Critique

The results of this study are consistent with other studies that have found a correlation between substance abuse, intimate assault and PTSD. The researchers discovered that participants assaulted by intimate partners were more than four times more likely to meet standards for current PTSD and twice as likely to meet criteria for lifetime PTSD.

This finding is further evidence that intimate partner abuse can increase the risk of developing PTSD. This study was thorough in its approach and the data that was collected. The researchers were able to determine that intimate partner abuse plays a significant role in the development of posttraumatic stress disorder.

Review study 2

Another study entitled "Comparative Profiles of Women with PTSD and Comorbid Cocaine or Alcohol Dependence" explores the issue of PTSD and Cocaine or Alcohol dependence. The foundation for this study is the assertion that "substance-dependent individuals with comorbid PTSD evidenced a more severe clinical profile and worse treatment prognosis than individuals with a substance use disorder alone or with PTSD alone (Back et al., 2003)."

There were 74 women that participated in the study. The participants were being treated and were evaluates for participation in either one of two outpatient treatment trials: "1) a study designed for the treatment of PTSD and concurrent cocaine dependence or 2) a study for the treatment of PTSD and concurrent alcohol dependence. Participants represent a subgroup of these two larger samples (N = 39 cocaine dependence and PTSD; N = 94 alcohol dependence and PTSD). This subgroup includes all women who were assessed for participation (Back et al., 2003)." The study also explains that all of the participants met the measure for having PTSD. The participants that were alcohol dependent were classified as alcohol/PTSD while women with a cocaine addiction were classified as cocaine/PTSD (Back et al., 2003).

The results of the study found that cocaine/PTSD were younger that alcohol/PTSD subjects (Back et al., 2003). Additionally, the researchers found that the alcohol/PTSD participants were more likely to be married and have more intimate friends than the cocaine/PTSD participants. In addition, the study found that alcohol/PTSD participants were more likely to be employed full time (Back et al., 2003). The alcohol/PTSD participants were also more likely to be employed for longer periods of time (Back et al., 2003). In addition, women with cocaine/PTSD were more likely to be arrested for prostitution than alcohol PTSD. The study also found that there were high rates of sexual trauma associated with the development of PTSD (Back et al., 2003). In addition, the alcohol/PTSD groups were more likely to have developed PTSD as a result of a car accident or some other severe incidents.

Overall, the researchers assert that the study revealed, "women in the alcohol/PTSD group were rated as having higher PTSD symptoms. The greater social and employment impairment coupled with less severe PTSD symptom profile observed among women in the cocaine/PTSD, compared with the alcohol/PTSD, group may be attributed to the substance-specific properties of alcohol and cocaine. For example, using alcohol may worsen PTSD symptoms but not necessarily worsen social or functional impairment to the extent that cocaine dependence, or factors related to cocaine dependence, might (Back et al., 2003)."

Critique

Once again, this study confirms that results of past research, which asserts that PTSD and alcohol abuse, are interrelated. Additionally, the researchers found that those that used alcohol had more severe cases of PTSD. This indicates that the use of alcohol may be more effective in anesthetizing the anxiety associated with PTSD. There is also some indication that the older participants suffer from more severe PTSD because the alcohol/PTSD was older than the cocaine/PTSD group.

Review Study 3 final study entitled Victimization and PTSD in Individuals with Substance Use Disorders: Gender and Racial Differences" seeks to report the gender and racial differences between Victimization and PTSD in Individuals with Substance Use Disorders (Dansky et al. 1997). The participants in the study were 95 inpatients (34 male and 61 female patients) (Dansky et al. 1997). There were 41 African-Americans, 52 Caucasians, and 2 other minorities (Dansky et al. 1997). The participants were assessed for substance abuse/dependence, trauma, and PTSD (Dansky et al. 1997). Most participants abused with cocaine or alcohol (Dansky et al. 1997).