The present study assessed drug use and the validity of self-reports of substance use among help-seeking veterans referred to a specialty clinic for the assessment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Patients (n = 341) were asked to provide a urine sample for use in drug screening as part of an evaluation of PTSD. Self-reports of substance use were compared with same-day supervised urine samples for 317 patients who volunteered to participate in a drug screening. Results suggested that self-reports were generally quite valid. Only 8% of the cases involved patients not reporting substance use detected by urine screens. A total of 42% of the participants were identified as using drugs of abuse (excluding alcohol) through self-report and urine drug screens. Among participants using drugs, PTSD diagnosis was significantly associated with greater marijuana and depressant use as compared with stimulant (cocaine and amphetamines) use.
Beck (1983) hypothesized that excessive interpersonal (sociotropy) and achievement (autonomy) concerns represent vulnerabilities to depression when congruent negative life events occur and that these personality constructs relate differentially to specific depressive symptoms. Recent research suggests that sociotropy relates to both depression and anxiety symptoms while autonomy may be specifically related to depression symptoms. This study employed a longitudinal, prospective design with a sample of 78 undergraduates to test aspects of Beck’s (1983) hypotheses. Sociotropy correlated with anxiety symptoms while autonomy correlated with depression symptoms. Additionally, sociotropy moderated the relationship of life stress to depression symptoms for both negative interpersonal and achievement stress while autonomy moderated the relationship of life stress to depression symptoms for negative interpersonal events only. Finally, sociotropy and autonomy also moderated the relationship between life stress and anxiety symptoms in a pattern that was different from the pattern with depression symptoms. Findings from the present study add to a growing body of empirical evidence that sociotropy and autonomy relate to depression and introduce evidence indicating how these constructs may relate to anxiety.
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