Treating posttraumatic stress disorder in substance use disorder patients with co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial to compare the effectiveness of different types and timings of treatment

The burden of substance use and (mental) distress among asylum seekers: a cross sectional study

Background

Asylum seekers are a particularly vulnerable population due to a wide range of external stressors. Traumatic events and difficult social/economic prospects can lead to an elevated susceptibility for substance use disorders. The aim of the present study was to determine whether asylum seekers suffering from mental or physical distress present higher levels of substance use disorder (SUD) in a state reception center in Germany and whether there are identifiable risk or protective factors.

Methods

We performed a hierarchical logistic regression on data of N = 238 people who had applied for asylum in Germany to analyze the SUD variance explanation by (1) sociodemographic, (2) flight-specific, and (3) psychometric (ERQ, SOC-9 L, SCL-K9) variables. On level (4), we included the location of data collection (walk-in clinic or accommodation,) as an indicator of individual's need for a psychologist's or General practitioner's help in order to assess for the participant's (mental) distress.

Results

Low educational level, lower sense of coherence, and mental distress (location of data collection in the psychosocial or general medical outpatient clinic) were associated with SUD. Those suffering from SUD seemed to be less aware of external stressors as SUD was also associated with low levels of reported post-migratory stress.

Discussion

The association of SUD with psychological distress and lower education reaffirms the concept that some vulnerable groups are at a higher risk for substance-related difficulties. Strengthening the sense of coherence with targeted interventions might enable at-risk groups to cope better with forthcoming burdens and help with abstaining from current or future consumption.

Psychometric evaluation of the Social Support Questionnaire for Transactions in Turkish gender-based violence sample

AIM

This study aims to investigate the reliability and predictive validity of the Social Support Questionnaire for Transactions (SSQT) scale.

DESIGN

A psychometric design using cross-sectional data.

METHOD

This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted between February-June 2021 using snowball sampling through an online survey panel. 204 Turkish survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) participated in the research.

RESULTS

The mean age of participants was 35.66 ± 12.50. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis examined the construct validity of the SSQT scale. The principle axis factoring (PAF) estimation method was performed, including oblique rotation (Promax) for EFA, and the diagonally weighted least squares (DWLS) estimation method was used for CFA. Test-retest reliability coefficients (r) were moderate to excellent, ranging from 0.48 to 0.88. The analyzes supported the 5-factor solution, and the reliability was evaluated with Cronbach's Alpha coefficients for Social Friendship, Daily Emotional Support, Problem-Oriented Emotional Support, Daily Instrumental Support, and Problem-Focused Instrumental Support sub-dimensions, and the total score of SSQT showing 0.87, 0.84, 0.90, 0.73, 0.83, and 0.93, respectively. The relationships between sub-dimensions of SSQT showed moderate positive correlations ranging from 0.40 to 0.60. There were weak negative correlations between SSQT and PHQ-9, PHQ-15 and GAD-7, ranging from -0.20 to -0.34, which shows the external validity of the SSQT.

CONCLUSION

The relationships between sub-dimensions of SSQT and PHQ-9, PHQ-15, GAD-7 are given in the results support using the SSQT scale as a research and clinical instrument for assessing women who had experienced GBV and have/have not received social support in Turkish culture.

The association between child maltreatment and problematic alcohol use in adulthood in a large multi-ethnic cohort: the HELIUS study

AIMS

There is evidence that child maltreatment is associated with problematic alcohol use later in life. However, previous epidemiological studies that have examined the link between child maltreatment and adult problematic alcohol use have not considered ethnic differences. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to investigate the relationship between child maltreatment and adult problematic alcohol use among six ethnic groups in the Netherlands, in a large, urban sample.

METHODS

This study used baseline data from the Healthy Life in an Urban Setting (HELIUS) study: a large-scale, multi-ethnic prospective cohort study conducted in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Child maltreatment, current problematic alcohol use and several potential confounders (e.g. parental alcohol use) were assessed in participants (N = 23 356) of Dutch, South-Asian Surinamese, African Surinamese, Ghanaian, Turkish and Moroccan origin. With logistic regression analyses, we examined effect modification by ethnicity on the association between child maltreatment and problematic alcohol use. Furthermore, we explored effect modification by ethnicity for specific types of child maltreatment, namely: physical, sexual and psychological abuse and emotional neglect.

RESULTS

Effect modification by ethnicity was present. Stronger associations between child maltreatment and problematic alcohol use were found in all ethnic minority groups compared to the Dutch reference group. Particularly strong associations between all four types of child maltreatment and alcohol use problems were found for the Moroccan origin group.

CONCLUSIONS

This study adds to a growing body of evidence that child maltreatment is associated with problematic alcohol use in adulthood. In addition, our findings indicate that ethnicity impacts this relationship. Although problematic alcohol use was more prevalent in the Dutch origin group, associations with child maltreatment were stronger in ethnic minority groups. Future studies on child maltreatment and alcohol use problems should also examine ethnic disparities and should further unravel how these disparities can be explained.