Effectiveness of text message interventions with different behavior change techniques on alcohol consumption among young adults: a five-arm randomized controlled trial.

AIMS: This studys aim is to test the effectiveness of five interventions each utilizing a unique set of behavior change techniques on reducing alcohol consumption at 3 and 6 months among young adults with hazardous drinking. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: This study used a five-arm parallel randomized controlled trial with 3- and 6-month follow-ups. Recruitment occurred at four emergency departments in Pittsburgh, PA, USA. Participants were non-treatment-seeking young adults (mean age = 22.1 years; 68.5% female; 37.1% black) who reported hazardous drinking. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomized to one of five automated text message interventions for 12 weeks that interacted with participants on the 2 days per week that they typically drank: assisted self-monitoring (TRACK: control condition; n = 245), pre-drinking cognition feedback (PLAN; n = 226), alcohol consumption feedback (USE; n = 235), adaptive goal support (GOAL; n = 214) and a combination of interventions (COMBO; n = 221). MEASUREMENTS: Primary outcome was number of past month binge drinking days at 3-month post-randomization calculated from a 30-day time-line follow-back. Primary intention-to-treat analysis compared PLAN, USE, GOAL and COMBO against TRACK (control condition). The four active conditions were not compared against each other. A secondary outcome, durability of effects, was measured at 6 months. FINDINGS: From baseline to 3-month follow-up (retention = 81.1%), compared with TRACK, in which past-month mean binge drinking days increased from 2.7 to 3.4, mean binge drinking days decreased in COMBO from 3.0 to 2.3 [adjusted ß = -0.52; 95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.77, -0.26], GOAL from 3.0 to 2.6 (adjusted ß = -0.34; 95% CI = -0.59, -0.10) and USE from 3.3 to 2.9 (adjusted ß = -0.38; 95% CI = -0.62, -0.14). At 6 months (retention = 73.8%), COMBO, GOAL, USE and PLAN had significantly lower mean binge drinking days compared with TRACK. CONCLUSION: Text message interventions incorporating feedback on either drinking plans and/or alcohol consumption and/or drinking limit goal support produced small yet durable reductions in binge drinking days in non-treatment-seeking young adults with hazardous drinking.

Opioid use patterns and risk characteristics among injured patients.

Background: Injured patients are at risk for prolonged opioid use after discharge from care. Limited evidence exists regarding how continued opioid use may be related to opioid medication misuse and opioid use disorder (OUD) following injury. This pilot study characterized opioid consumption patterns, health characteristics, and substance use among patients with active prescriptions for opioid medications following injury care. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional screening survey combined with medical record review from February 2017 to March 2018 conducted among outpatient trauma and orthopedic surgery clinic patients. Eligible patients were 18-64 years of age, admitted/discharged for an injury or trauma-related orthopedic surgery, returning for clinic follow-up ≤6 months post hospital discharge after the index injury, prescribed opioid pain medication at discharge, and currently taking an opioid medication (from discharge or a separate prescription post discharge). Data collected included demographic, substance use, mental health, and physical health information. Descriptive and univariate statistics were calculated to characterize the population and opioid-related risks. Results: Seventy-one participants completed the survey (92% response). Most individuals (≥75%) who screened positive for misuse or OUD reported no nonmedical/illicit opioid use in the year before the index injury. A positive depression screen was associated with a 3.88 times increased likelihood for misuse or OUD (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.1-13.5). Nonopioid illicit drug use (odds ratio [OR] = 1.89, 95% CI = 1.1-3.4) and opioid craving (OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.1-1.5) were also associated with increased likelihood for misuse or OUD. Number of emergency department visits in the 3 years previous to the index injury was associated with a 22% likelihood of being misuse or OUD positive (95% CI = 1.0-1.5). Conclusions: Patients with behavioral health concerns and greater emergency department utilization may have heightened risk for experiencing adverse opioid-related outcomes. Future research must further establish these findings and possibly develop protocols to identify patients at risk prior to pain management planning.

"Running Trains" and "Sexing-In": The Functions of Sex Within Adolescent Gangs.

Gang members are exposed to unique sexual risks, yet little work has explored the influence of gang social norms. This study examines the functions and meanings of sex within gangs, with a specific focus on the ways in which sex is used to reinforce gang membership and norms, gender roles, and group cohesion. We conducted 58 semi-structured interviews with adolescent members of six gangs. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis and constant comparative method in MAXQDA. Sexual risk behaviors within gangs are upheld and reinforced through unspoken norms and expectations. These high-risk sexual practices increase group cohesion and reinforce gender norms and power differences. Despite the prevalence of such practices, many gang members felt regret and remorse over their participation but noted it was just part of "the life." Our findings highlight the need for interventions to address the norms of the gang that reinforce sexual risk behavior.

The Association Between Daily Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Pain Over the First 14 Days After Injury: An Experience Sampling Study.

OBJECTIVES: Psychosocial factors and responses to injury modify the transition from acute to chronic pain. Specifically, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms (reexperiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal symptoms) exacerbate and cooccur with chronic pain. Yet no study has prospectively considered the associations among these psychological processes and pain reports using experience sampling methods (ESMs) during the acute aftermath of injury. This study applied ESM via daily text messaging to monitor and detect relationships among psychosocial factors and postinjury pain across the first 14 days after emergency department (ED) discharge. METHODS: We recruited 75 adults (59% male; mean ± SD age = 34 ± 11.73 years) who experienced a potentially traumatic injury (i.e., involving life threat or serious injury) in the past 24 hours from the EDs of two Level I trauma centers. Participants received five questions per day via text messaging from Day 1 to Day 14 post-ED discharge; three questions measured PTSD symptoms, one question measured perceived social support, and one question measured physical pain. RESULTS: Sixty-seven participants provided sufficient data for inclusion in the final analyses, and the average response rate per subject was 86%. Pain severity score decreased from a mean ± SD of 7.2 ± 2.0 to 4.4 ± 2.69 over 14 days and 50% of the variance in daily pain scores was within person. In multilevel structural equation models, pain scores decreased over time, and daily fluctuations of hyperarousal (B = 0.22, 95% confidetnce interval = 0.08-0.36) were uniquely associated with daily fluctuations in reported pain level within each person. CONCLUSIONS: Daily hyperarousal symptoms predict same-day pain severity over the acute postinjury recovery period. We also demonstrated feasibility to screen and identify patients at risk for pain chronicity in the acute aftermath of injury. Early interventions aimed at addressing hyperarousal (e.g., anxiolytics) could potentially aid in reducing experience of pain.

Postconcussive Symptoms Over the First 14 Days After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: An Experience Sampling Study.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined changes in postconcussive symptoms (PCS) over the acute postinjury recovery period, focusing on how daily PCSs differ between mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and other injury types. SETTING: An urban emergency department (ED) in Western Pennsylvania. SUBJECTS: A total of 108 adult patients with trauma being discharged from the ED were recruited and grouped by injury type: mild TBI (mTBI; n = 39), head injury without mTBI (HI: n = 16), and non-head-injured trauma controls (TCs: n = 53). MAIN MEASURES: Subjects completed a baseline assessment and an experience sampling method (ESM) protocol for 14 consecutive days postinjury: outcomes were daily reports of headaches, anxiety, and concentration difficulties. RESULTS: Controlling for confounders, multilevel modeling revealed greater odds of headache and concentration difficulties on day 1 postinjury among the HI and mTBI groups (vs TCs). These odds decreased over time, with greater reductions for the HI and mTBI groups compared with TCs. By day 14, there were no group differences in PCS. In addition, only the HI group reported higher initial levels of anxiety and a steeper slope relative to TCs. CONCLUSION: Patients with HI, regardless of whether they meet the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicines definition of mTBI, have higher odds of typical PCS immediately postinjury, but faster rates of recovery than TCs. ESM can improve understanding the dynamic nature of postinjury PCS.

The Role of Negative Affect on Headache-Related Disability Following Traumatic Physical Injury.

OBJECTIVE: Acute postinjury negative affect (NA) may contribute to headache pain following physical injury. Early psychiatric-headache comorbidity conveys increased vulnerability to chronic headache-related disability and impairment. Yet, it is unknown whether NA is involved in the transition to chronic headache related-disability after injury. This prospective observational study examined the role of acute postinjury NA on subacute and chronic headache-related disability above and beyond nonpsychiatric factors. METHODS: Eighty adult survivors of single-incident traumatic physical injury were assessed for negative affect (NA): a composite of depression and anxiety symptoms, and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSS) during the acute 2-week postinjury phase. NA was examined as the primary predictor of subacute (6-week) and chronic (3-month) headache-related disability; secondary analyses examined whether the individual NA components differentially impacted the outcomes. RESULTS: Hierarchical linear regression confirmed NA as a unique predictor of subacute (Cohen's f 2 = 0.130; P = .005) and chronic headache related-disability (Cohen's f 2 = 0.160; P = .004) beyond demographic and injury-related factors (sex, prior headaches, and closed head injury). Upon further analysis, PTSS uniquely predicted greater subacute (Cohen's f 2 = 0.105; P = .012) and chronic headache-related disability (Cohen's f 2 = 0.103; P = .022) above and beyond demographic and injury-related factors, depression, and anxiety. Avoidance was a robust predictor of subacute headache impairment (explaining 15% of the variance) and hyperarousal was a robust predictor of chronic headache impairment (10% of the variance). CONCLUSION: Although NA consistently predicted headache-related disability, PTSS alone was a unique predictor above and beyond nonpsychiatric factors, depression, and anxiety. These results are suggestive that early treatment of acute postinjury PTSS may correlate with reductions in disability and negative physical health sequelae associated with PTSS and chronic headache.

Quantitative sensory testing measures individual pain responses in emergency department patients.

BACKGROUND: Refining and individualizing treatment of acute pain in the emergency department (ED) is a high priority, given that painful complaints are the most common reasons for ED visits. Few tools exist to objectively measure pain perception in the ED setting. We speculated that variation in perception of fixed painful stimuli would explain individual variation in reported pain and response to treatment among ED patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In three studies, we 1) describe performance characteristics of brief quantitative sensory testing (QST) in 50 healthy volunteers, 2) test effects of 10 mg oxycodone versus placebo on QST measures in 18 healthy volunteers, and 3) measure interindividual differences in nociception and treatment responses in 198 ED patients with a painful complaint during ED treatment. QST measures adapted for use in the ED included pressure sensation threshold, pressure pain threshold (PPT), pressure pain response (PPR), and cold pain tolerance (CPT) tests. RESULTS: First, all QST measures had high inter-rater reliability and test-retest reproducibility. Second, 10 mg oxycodone reduced PPR, increased PPT, and prolonged CPT. Third, baseline PPT and PPR revealed hyperalgesia in 31 (16%) ED subjects relative to healthy volunteers. In 173 (88%) ED subjects who completed repeat testing 30 minutes after pain treatment, PPT increased and PPR decreased (Cohen's dz 0.10-0.19). Verbal pain scores (0-10) for the ED complaint decreased by 2.2 (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.9, 2.6) (Cohen's dz 0.97) but did not covary with the changes in PPT and PPR (r=0.05-0.13). Treatment effects were greatest in ED subjects with a history of treatment for anxiety or depression (Cohen's dz 0.26-0.43) or with baseline hyperalgesia (Cohen's dz 0.40-0.88). CONCLUSION: QST reveals individual differences in perception of fixed painful stimuli in ED patients, including hyperalgesia. Subgroups of ED patients with hyperalgesia and psychiatric history report larger treatment effects on ED pain and QST measures.

Childhood Adversity and the Continued Exposure to Trauma and Violence Among Adolescent Gang Members.

This study investigates interfaith groups from across the United States to understand how these religious settings may serve as mediating structures to facilitate individual political action. Based on a multilevel modeling analysis with 169 individuals from 25 interfaith groups, we found that core activities of the group, such as group members sharing community information (e.g., announcing upcoming events, political meetings, community issues) or sharing religious information (e.g., educating members about their religion) positively and negatively predicted individual political action as a result of group participation, respectively. Moreover, a sense that the interfaith group served as a community to work for local change, but not trust within the group, predicted political action as a result of group participation. However, this effect for a sense the group served as a community to work for local change was stronger and more positive as the degree of community information sharing in the group increased. These results show that a core activity of sharing community information may enhance the ability of a group to mediate political action. Overall, these findings demonstrate the potential role of interfaith groups to mediate political action, and show the importance of considering both individual and group characteristics when understanding these religious settings. Limitations and directions for future research are also discussed.

The association between daily PTSD symptom severity and alcohol-related outcomes in recent traumatic injury victims.

The self-medication hypothesis proposes that individuals experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms may use alcohol (or other substances) to self-medicate distress, while the mutual maintenance hypothesis proposes that alcohol use also exacerbates or maintains distress. Existing research largely supports the self-medication hypothesis. However, findings are often based upon retrospective reporting of problems and assessment of symptoms anchored to a trauma occurring in the remote past. To improve on these retrospective designs, the current study examined the relationship between daily PTSD symptom severity and alcohol-related outcomes during the early phase of recovery following a traumatic physical injury. Specifically, 36 injury victims reported on PTSD symptom severity, alcohol craving, alcohol consumption, and negative drinking consequences thrice daily (morning, afternoon, night) over 7 days beginning 6 weeks postinjury. Results indicated relationships between PTSD symptom severity and alcohol craving/negative consequences when these experiences were assessed concurrently within the same signal (particularly during the nighttime assessments). Prospective models found that nighttime PTSD symptom severity was related to negative drinking consequences occurring the following morning, even after controlling for consumption level, suggesting a more general behavioral regulation problem. Results were less supportive of the mutual maintenance hypothesis. Collectively, these results suggest that health interventions targeting PTSD symptom severity in recent injury victims-particularly when delivered at night-may be able to prevent problematic alcohol use. (PsycINFO Database Record

A multi-level modeling approach examining PTSD symptom reduction during prolonged exposure therapy: moderating effects of number of trauma types experienced, having an HIV-related index trauma, and years since HIV diagnosis among HIV-positive adults.

People living with HIV (PLWH) have extensive interpersonal trauma histories and higher rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than the general population. Prolonged exposure (PE) therapy is efficacious in reducing PTSD across a variety of trauma samples; however, research has not examined factors that influence how PTSD symptoms change during PE for PLWH. Using multi-level modeling, we examined the potential moderating effect of number of previous trauma types experienced, whether the index trauma was HIV-related or not, and years since HIV diagnosis on PTSD symptom reduction during a 10-session PE protocol in a sample of 51 PLWH. In general, PTSD symptoms decreased linearly throughout the PE sessions. Experiencing more previous types of traumatic events was associated with a slower rate of PTSD symptom change. In addition, LOCF analyses found that participants with a non-HIV-related versus HIV-related index trauma had a slower rate of change for PTSD symptoms over the course of PE. However, analyses of raw data decreased this finding to marginal. Years since HIV diagnosis did not impact PTSD symptom change. These results provide a better understanding of how to tailor PE to individual clients and aid clinicians in approximating the rate of symptom alleviation. Specifically, these findings underscore the importance of accounting for trauma history and index trauma type when implementing a treatment plan for PTSD in PLWH.

The utility of hair cortisol concentrations in the prediction of PTSD symptoms following traumatic physical injury.

RATIONALE: Although cortisol alterations have been associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and PTSD symptoms (PTSS), the direction of association is mixed. Cortisol which is measured in blood, saliva, or urine is subject to transient factors that may confound results. Recent advances in cortisol sampling techniques provide novel opportunities to address these inconsistencies. Hair cortisol sampling is a non-invasive method for the retrospective assessment of long-term integrated cortisol, yet its utility at predicting PTSS has not been assessed in acute injury victims. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this prospective study was to examine whether higher levels of hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) were associated with increases in PTSS following traumatic physical injury. METHOD: From January 2012 to May 2013, injury victims admitted to a level-1 Midwestern trauma center were recruited during their routine trauma clinic appointment within 30-days post-injury. Thirty participants had sufficient hair length to obtain 3-cm hair samples for cortisol assay. These participants completed PTSS assessments in relation to their recent injury at both the baseline and follow-up assessments (within 30- and 60-days post-injury, respectively). RESULTS: Hierarchical regression analyses - which controlled for baseline PTSS, age, and sex - revealed that higher HCC predicted significant increases in overall PTSS at follow-up. Higher HCC also predicted increases in the avoidance/numbing subscale symptoms of PTSS. Dividing the avoidance symptoms and numbing symptoms into two separate clusters (consistent with the 4-factor DSM-5 model of PTSD) revealed that HCC was only marginally associated with numbing, but not with avoidance symptoms. CONCLUSION: Hair sampling is a feasible method for assessing integrated cortisol levels soon after traumatic physical injury. This study suggests that elevated HCC may serve as a biomarker of risk for the development of posttraumatic symptomatology, and identifies specific symptoms that may be targeted for intervention in those with high HCC in the aftermath of injury.

Convention Versus Deviance: Moral Agency in Adolescent Gang Members' Decision Making.

BACKGROUND: Adolescent gang members are a source of concern due to their involvement in criminal activity, violence, substance use, and high-risk sexual behaviors. Adolescent gang theories hypothesize that social institutions, including the family and school, fail to meet the needs of adolescents who therefore feel less attachment to these institutions and find an unconventional institution (i.e. the gang) to meet these needs through the gang. OBJECTIVES: In this paper, we will examine the extent to which social disorganization and social control theories, in particular the rejection of conventional norms and aspirations, match adolescents' subjective reasons for their decisions and their future aspirations. METHODS: Between 2012 and 2013, we conducted in-depth interviews with 58 gang members between the ages of 14 to 19. Interviews were coded for key themes using the constant comparison method. RESULTS: Social disorganization and social control theories have both value and limitations in explaining reasons why adolescents join gangs and engage in criminal behaviors. Participants saw many of their aspirations blocked by negative school experiences and limited economic opportunities. Gangs provided a social organization in which to sell drugs. However, gang members did not reject conventional norms and aspirations. Rather, they view themselves as making decisions to survive in the present while recognizing that these strategies will not continue to work in the future. CONCLUSIONS: Gang members value education and aspire to obtain legal employment. Thus, interventions to help adolescent gang members with the immediate financial pressures that lead them to sell drugs may be particularly effective.

Gang masculinity and high-risk sexual behaviours.

High-risk sexual behaviours include practices such as relationship violence and substance use, which often cluster together among young people in high-risk settings. Youth gang members often show high rates of such behaviours, substance use and relationship violence. This paper draws on data from in-depth interviews with male and female gang members from six different gangs to explore the role of powerful socialising peer groups that set gender, sexual and relationship roles and expectations for their male and female members. High-risk sexual behaviours among gang members included sex with multiple partners and group sex. Gang norms included the belief that male members were sexually insatiable with multiple sexual partners and that female gang members should be sexually available to male members. Alcohol and drugs were seen to have a large influence on sexual desire and the inability to use condoms. Much sexual behaviour with gangs, such as group sex, was viewed with ambivalence and seen as somewhat coercive. Finally, gendered sexual expectations (boys as sexually insatiable and girls as sexually available) made forming long-term romantic relationships problematic for gang members. The influence of gang norms such as these must be addressed in future programmes and interventions with gang members.

Trajectories of daily PTSD symptoms in recent traumatic injury victims.

OBJECTIVE: Prior research has identified different PTSD symptom (PTSS) trajectories over months and years posttrauma that warrant different levels of clinical attention. Earlier identification of at-risk trauma victims can facilitate efficient and appropriate intervention efforts. METHOD: Using latent class growth analysis, we examined daily PTSS trajectories beginning 6 weeks postinjury in 68 injury victims. Resulting classes were compared on key characteristics at 6 and 21 weeks postinjury. RESULTS: Three trajectories were identified: a nonreactive class (67.8%) with low initial symptom levels that remained low, a moderate-stable class (27.9%) with elevated symptom levels that remained constant, and a severe-increasing class (4.4%) with high symptom levels that increased. CONCLUSIONS: High-risk injury victims can be identified by their daily PTSS, allowing for early identification of those at risk for elevated distress and in greater need for intervention. (PsycINFO Database Record

Partnership-Level Analysis of African American Women's Risky Sexual Behavior in Main and Non-Main Partnerships.

The majority of research on risky sexual behavior in African American women has examined global associations between individual-level predictors and behavior. However, this method obscures the potentially significant impact of the specific relationship or relationship partner on risky sexual behavior. To address this gap, we conducted partnership-level analysis of risky sexual behavior among 718 African American women recruited from HIV counseling, testing, and referral sites in four states. Using mixed model regressions, we tested relationships between condomless vaginal intercourse with men and variables drawn from the Theory of Planned Behavior, Theory of Gender and Power, and previous research specifically on sexual risks among African American women. Significant associations with risky sexual behavior indicate the need for continued emphasis on condom attitudes, condom negotiation behaviors, and overcoming partner resistance to condoms within both main and non-main partnerships when implementing interventions designed to address HIV and sexually transmitted infection risks among African American women.

Comparing the effect of DSM-congruent traumas vs. DSM-incongruent stressors on PTSD symptoms: A meta-analytic review.

Experts have long debated how to define the PTSD traumatic stressor criterion. Prior research demonstrates that PTSD symptoms (PTSS) sometimes stem from events that do not meet the DSM requirements for Criterion A (e.g., divorce, bereavement, illness). This meta-analysis of 22 studies examined whether PTSS differ for DSM-congruent criterion A1 traumatic events vs. DSM-incongruent events. The overall effect was significant, albeit small, suggesting that PTSS were greater for individuals who experienced a DSM-congruent event; heterogeneity analyses also indicated further exploration. Two significant moderators emerged: assessment of both A1 and A2 (vs. A1 alone) yielded a significant effect for higher PTSS following traumas vs. stressors. Likewise, self-report assessment of life threat (Criterion A1)-vs. rater or a priori assessment of A1-yielded a significant effect for higher PTSS following traumas. Our results indicate that higher levels of PTSS develop following traumas, and highlight important methodological moderators that may affect this relationship.

The impact of PTSD treatment on the cortisol awakening response.

BACKGROUND: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with abnormal functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis; however, limited research has examined whether cortisol levels change following successful PTSD treatment. The current study examined the impact of successful PTSD treatment on the cortisol awakening response (CAR). METHOD: Twenty-nine adults participating in a treatment trial for chronic PTSD provided saliva samples (upon waking, and 30-, 45-, and 60 min postwaking) before and after receiving either prolonged exposure therapy or sertraline. PTSD responder status (i.e., loss or retention of a PTSD diagnosis) served as the predictor variable. Outcome measures included area under the curve with respect to ground and increase, reflecting total cortisol output and HPA axis reactivity, respectively. RESULTS: A series of hierarchical regressions revealed no significant main effects of PTSD responder status for either CAR outcome. However, a significant gender by treatment response interaction for cortisol reactivity revealed that female treatment nonresponders displayed higher cortisol reactivity following treatment than female responders, whereas cortisol reactivity did not change pre- to posttreatment for male responders. Findings remained after controlling for age, trauma history, baseline medication status, baseline PTSD, and baseline depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Loss of a PTSD diagnosis may contribute to decreased cortisol reactivity in females. Neuroendocrine changes following treatment may emerge only for specific subgroups, highlighting the importance of exploring treatment moderators.

PTSD symptom severity and psychiatric comorbidity in recent motor vehicle accident victims: a latent class analysis.

We conducted a latent class analysis (LCA) on 249 recent motor vehicle accident (MVA) victims to examine subgroups that differed in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity, current major depressive disorder and alcohol/other drug use disorders (MDD/AoDs), gender, and interpersonal trauma history 6-weeks post-MVA. A 4-class model best fit the data with a resilient class displaying asymptomatic PTSD symptom levels/low levels of comorbid disorders; a mild psychopathology class displaying mild PTSD symptom severity and current MDD; a moderate psychopathology class displaying severe PTSD symptom severity and current MDD/AoDs; and a severe psychopathology class displaying extreme PTSD symptom severity and current MDD. Classes also differed with respect to gender composition and history of interpersonal trauma experience. These findings may aid in the development of targeted interventions for recent MVA victims through the identification of subgroups distinguished by different patterns of psychiatric problems experienced 6-weeks post-MVA.

An examination of PTSD symptoms as a mediator of the relationship between trauma history characteristics and physical health following a motor vehicle accident.

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that a history of trauma exposure is associated with increased vulnerability to the physical health consequences of subsequent trauma exposure, and that posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) may serve as a key pathway in this vulnerability. However, few studies have modeled these relationships using mediation, and most have failed to consider whether specific characteristics of the prior trauma exposure have a differential impact on physical and mental health outcomes. METHODS: The present study examined 180 victims of a serious motor vehicle accident (MVA) who reported prior exposure to traumatic events. PTSS were assessed by clinical interview 6 weeks post-MVA, and physical health was assessed 6 months post-MVA. Using structural equation modeling, the present study examined the extent to which event (age at first trauma, number, and types of trauma) and response (perceptions of life threat, physical injury, and distress) characteristics of prior trauma were related to physical health outcomes following a serious MVA, and whether these relationships were mediated by PTSS. RESULTS: Results revealed that both event and response characteristics of prior trauma history were associated with poorer physical health, and that PTSS served as a mechanism through which response characteristics, but not event characteristics, led to poorer physical health. CONCLUSIONS: These results highlight the enduring impact of trauma exposure on physical health outcomes, and underscore the importance of considering multiple mechanisms through which different aspects of prior trauma exposure may impact physical health.