High dose alcohol consumption predicts less reduction in post-traumatic stress symptoms after a campus mass shooting.
Anxiety Stress Coping
; 30(6): 609-618, 2017 Nov.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-28697628
BACKGROUND: Recognizing that alcohol might affect subsequent processing of trauma-related information, this study examined whether high dose alcohol consumption (HDAC) following a campus mass shooting affected the relation between shooting exposure and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). METHODS: Female participants (N = 691) recorded levels of physical exposure to the shooting event, alcohol use, and PTSS 1 month following the shooting event and 8 months later. RESULTS: No evidence was found to suggest that pre-shooting HDAC moderated the relationship between trauma exposure and PTSS 1 month following the shooting. HDAC in the month following the shooting predicted less resolution of PTSS 8 months later. Specifically, at higher (but not lower) levels of HDAC, shooting exposure was associated with less reduction in PTSS from 1 to 8 months post-trauma. Several alternate explanations were ruled out. CONCLUSIONS: Less reduction in PTSS seems to occur at high levels of both shooting exposure and HDAC. Theoretical implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
/
Students
/
Universities
/
Wounds, Gunshot
/
Alcohol Drinking in College
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Qualitative_research
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
America do norte
Language:
En
Journal:
Anxiety Stress Coping
Journal subject:
CIENCIAS DO COMPORTAMENTO
/
PSICOLOGIA
Year:
2017
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
United States
Country of publication:
United kingdom