Childhood Adversity and the Association Between Stress Sensitivity and Problematic Alcohol Use in Adults

We examined the unique and interactive effects of ELA and U-threat reactivity on problem drinking and depressive and anxiety symptom severity. Participants (N = 131) completed a well-validated threat-of-shock task, and startle eyeblink potentiation was recorded to index aversive responding. Individuals also completed self-report measures of alcohol use, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Results demonstrated a positive association between ELA and higher levels of problematic alcohol use at high levels of U-threat reactivity, β = .75,t = 3.93,p< .001. Conversely, at low levels of U-threat reactivity, ELA exposure was negatively associated with problematic alcohol use, β = −.49,t = −2.30,p = .023. There was no significant ELA x U-Threat reactivity interaction on anxiety or depression. U-threat response strongly interacts with ELA exposure, affecting the direction of the association between ELA and problem drinking. U-threat reactivity may be a promising target for the prevention and treatment of problematic drinking among ELA-exposed individuals.
Source: Journal of Traumatic Stress - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research