Research Project
10387204
PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Hazardous drinking and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are exceedingly common co-occurring conditions that are associated with greater disability, mortality, and poor health outcomes as compared to either condition alone. Yet, no empirically supported intervention programs are available for this underserved population and the most promising interventions are limited due to poor retention and high dropout rates. A transdiagnostic risk factor that may underlie comorbid hazardous drinking and PTSD is anxiety sensitivity (i.e., the fear of the negative consequences of anxiety-related sensations). Anxiety sensitivity is a malleable, cognitive-affective vulnerability factor that is positively related to hazardous drinking and the development and maintenance of PTSD. An integrated intervention to specifically target anxiety sensitivity in the context of hazardous drinking and PTSD symptoms has not been developed or tested. Personalized feedback interventions (PFI) may help to address this gap as they have demonstrated efficacy in reducing hazardous drinking and alcohol-related consequences across various populations and are brief, cost-effective, and easily disseminable. The objective of the present NRSA pre-doctoral fellowship is to assist on a randomized controlled trial (RCT), co-led by Drs. Michael Zvolensky and Anka Vujanovic, aimed at developing and testing the efficacy of a novel computer-based PFI among hazardous drinkers with at least subclinical PTSD (i.e., endorsing at least one symptom in each PTSD symptom cluster) and elevated anxiety sensitivity. The first aim of this project will be to assist on evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of a brief, single-session, integrated, computer-based personalized feedback intervention (AP-PFI). The second aim will be to assist on conducting a RCT to examine efficacy and intervention effects (versus a control condition [C-PFI]) across post- intervention and one-week and one-month follow-ups. A third aim will be to explore mechanisms of change and moderators. Primary hypotheses are that participants randomized to AP-PFI (vs. C-PFI) will report greater motivation/intention to reduce drinking, and lower levels of anxiety sensitivity at post-test. Secondary hypotheses are that participants randomized to AP-PFI (vs. C-PFI) will evince greater change in rates from hazardous to non-hazardous drinking, lower frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption, reduced negative consequences of drinking, and lower PTSD symptom severity. The proposed study provides an innovative extension of previous research, coincides well with current NIAAA initiatives, and has the potential to directly inform care for hazardous drinkers with PTSD symptomatology and elevated anxiety sensitivity.
