Introduction Research in community and clinical samples has documented elevated rates of cannabis use and cannabis use disorders (CUDs) among individuals with trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, there is a lack of research investigating relations between, and correlates of, trauma and cannabis phenotypes in epidemiologic samples. The current study examined associations between trauma (i.e., lifetime trauma exposure and PTSD) and cannabis phenotypes (i.e., lifetime cannabis use and CUD) in a nationally representative sample. Methods Participants were individuals who participated in waves 1 and 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (n=34,396; 52.4% women; Mage=48.0 years, SD=16.9). Results Lifetime DSM-IV Criterion A trauma exposure was significantly associated with lifetime cannabis use (OR=1.215) but was only marginally associated with CUD (OR=0.997). Within the trauma-exposed sample, lifetime PTSD showed a significant association with CUD (OR=1.217) but was only marginally associated with lifetime cannabis use (OR=0.992). Conclusions Partially consistent with hypotheses, lifetime trauma was associated with greater odds of lifetime cannabis use while PTSD was associated with greater odds of CUD. Longitudinal research investigating patterns of onset of these events/disorders is needed.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are associated with coping motivated alcohol use in trauma-exposed samples. However, it is unclear which individuals experiencing PTSD symptoms are at greatest risk for alcohol use problems following trauma exposure. Individuals endorsing high in anxiety sensitivity, the fear of anxiety and related sensations, may be particularly motivated to use alcohol to cope with PTSD symptoms. The current study examined the moderating role of anxiety sensitivity in the association between PTSD symptoms and coping motives in a sample of 295 young adults with a history of interpersonal trauma and current alcohol use. Participants completed measures of past 30-day alcohol consumption, trauma history, current PTSD symptoms, anxiety sensitivity, and alcohol use motives. Results of hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that greater anxiety sensitivity was significantly associated with greater coping (β=.219) and conformity (β=.156) alcohol use motives, and greater PTSD symptoms were associated with greater coping motives (β=.247), above and beyond the covariates of sex, alcohol consumption, trauma load, and non-criterion alcohol use motives. The interaction of anxiety sensitivity and PTSD symptoms accounted for additional variance in coping motives above and beyond the main effects (β=.117), with greater PTSD symptoms being associated with greater coping motives among those high but not low in anxiety sensitivity. Assessment and treatment of PTSD symptoms and anxiety sensitivity in young adults with interpersonal trauma may be warranted as a means of decreasing alcohol-related risk in trauma-exposed young adults.

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Objective Distress tolerance (DT; the perceived or actual ability to withstand negative internal states) has emerged as a promising transdiagnostic risk factor in clinically severe populations. However, little is known about etiological factors associated with the development of DT. We hypothesized that greater levels of childhood trauma would be associated with lower perceived and behavioral DT, beyond theoretically relevant covariates. Method The current investigation evaluated several childhood trauma types (i.e., physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, and emotional neglect) in relation to perceived (i.e., self-report) and behavioral DT in a sample of 87 trauma-exposed adults in acute-care psychiatric inpatient treatment. Results Results of hierarchical linear regression models indicated that greater childhood physical abuse and emotional neglect were significantly associated with higher perceived DT. Greater levels of emotional abuse were associated with lower perceived DT, and greater physical neglect was associated with lower behavioral DT. Conclusions DT may be differentially influenced by different forms of childhood trauma.

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