https://aub.ie/MilitaryREACH-Jarnecke2022

Jarnecke, A. M., Saraiya, T. C., Brown, D. G., Richardson, J., Killeen, T., & Back, S. E. (2022). Examining the role of social support in treatment for co-occurring substance use disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. Addictive Behaviors Reports, 15, Article 100427. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abrep.2022.100427

Using secondary data from 81 Veterans who participated in either the 12-week therapeutic program Concurrent Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Substance Use Disorders Using Prolonged Exposure (COPE; n = 54) or a relapse prevention program (n = 27), the current study examined how social support (e.g., tangible support, sense of belonging) affected PTSD symptom severity and substance use (e.g., alcohol) over time. Veterans completed self-report measures at the beginning of treatment, at the end of treatment, and at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. After accounting for treatment type, social support aided in temporary but not long-term reductions in PTSD symptom severity and substance use.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abrep.2022.100427

Substance use
Mental health
Veterans
Trauma

Multiple branches

Veteran

Veteran

Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)

Secondary Analysis
Longitudinal Study
Quantitative Study

Jarnecke, Amber M., Saraiya, Tanya C., Brown, Delisa G., Richardson, James, Killeen, Therese, Back, Sudie E.

Objective Social support may be a critical mechanism in the treatment of co-occurring substance use disorder (SUD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, no studies have examined how social support changes as a function of treatment or predicts treatment outcome in a Veteran population with co-occurring SUD and PTSD. Method The current study is a secondary analysis that examined social support over the course of treatment for co-occurring SUD and PTSD (N = 81). Analyses were conducted to examine if a) social support predicts change in substance use and PTSD symptoms, respectively, over the course of treatment and during follow-up, and b) substance use and PTSD symptoms, respectively, predicts change in social support over treatment and during follow-up. Results The findings revealed that between-person social support moderated decreases in substance use (B = −0.17, SE = 0.07, p = 0.017) and PTSD symptom severity (B = −0.12, SE = 0.05, p = 0.009) during treatment but not during follow-up. Within-person substance use and PTSD symptom severity predicted social support but substance use and PTSD symptoms did not moderate changes in social support during treatment or follow-up. Conclusions The findings highlight the critical role of social support during treatment in enhancing outcomes for individuals with co-occurring SUD and PTSD.

Elsevier

Article
REACH Publication

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, AMJ
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, TCS
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, DGB
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, JR
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, TK
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, SEB
Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, SEB