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Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms Predict Transition to Future Adolescent and Young Adult Moderate to Heavy Drinking in the NCANDA Sample

  • Emotion and Addiction (K Morie, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Study

Approximately two-thirds of youth report experiencing or witnessing a trauma. It is not known whether trauma or the posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) following trauma increases adolescent drinking risk.

Recent Findings

We described trauma experienced by the National Consortium on Alcohol and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA) longitudinal sample (N = 831) participants and examined drinking over 4 years. We hypothesize that more traumatic events and PTSS will predict transition to moderate/heavy drinking.

Summary

A total of 658 no/low drinkers at baseline were followed yearly for 4 years for transition to moderate/heavy drinking using logistic regression models. Youth were grouped by no trauma (n = 257), trauma (n = 348), and trauma with PTSS (n = 53). Those with trauma and PTSS showed escalation to moderate/heavy drinking compared with the no trauma group in follow-up years 2, 3, and 4. Number of traumatic events did not predict moderate/heavy drinking. Interventions targeting PTSS may prevent transition to moderate/heavy drinking.

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Funding

This work was supported by the U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism with co-funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development [NCANDA grant numbers: AA021695 (SAB+SFT), AA021697 (AP+KMP), AA021692 (SFT), AA021681 (MDDB), AA021690 (DBC), AA021691 (BN), and AA021696 (IMC+FCB)].

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Healthy Childhood Brain Development Developmental Traumatology Research Program, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Box 104360, Durham, NC, 27710, USA

    Michael D. De Bellis

  2. Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, USA

    Kate B. Nooner

  3. Department of Psychological Science, Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, KY, USA

    Ty Brumback

  4. Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Duncan B. Clark

  5. Department of Psychiatry University of California, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, USA

    Susan F. Tapert & Sandra A. Brown

Authors
  1. Michael D. De Bellis
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  2. Kate B. Nooner
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  3. Ty Brumback
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  4. Duncan B. Clark
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  5. Susan F. Tapert
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  6. Sandra A. Brown
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Correspondence to Michael D. De Bellis.

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For submission to Current Addiction Reports Due January 10, 2020, revisions February 5, 2020.

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Emotion and Addiction

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De Bellis, M.D., Nooner, K.B., Brumback, T. et al. Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms Predict Transition to Future Adolescent and Young Adult Moderate to Heavy Drinking in the NCANDA Sample. Curr Addict Rep 7, 99–107 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-020-00303-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-020-00303-1

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