Date of Graduation
5-2015
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)
Degree Level
Graduate
Department
Psychological Science
Advisor/Mentor
Matthew Feldner
Committee Member
Denise Beike
Second Committee Member
Lindsay Ham
Third Committee Member
Jeffrey Lohr
Keywords
Alcohol Use, Clinical Psychology, Comorbidity, Intervention, Psychoeducation, Trauma
Abstract
Research has suggested that consumption of alcohol in the presence of elevated posttraumatic stress symptom (PTSS) may serve an avoidant function to cope with negative emotions. These coping-related motives for use are theorized to both maintain PTSS and relate to poorer prognoses in treatment for alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Treatments utilizing coping skills training, which typically also involves educating clients about the negative consequences of drinking alcohol to cope, suggest the utility of targeting coping behaviors to reduce alcohol use. These studies, however, have not attempted to isolate the effects of psychoeducation on alcohol-related factors. The current study investigated the utility of providing integrated psychoeducation to modify alcohol use outcomes and also examined, on an a priori basis, the potential moderating impact of biological sex on the effects of psychoeducation. Results demonstrated that psychoeducation addressing PTSS and alcohol use specifically was superior to a general health control condition in improving motivation to change alcohol use behaviors. Confidence to refrain from alcohol and coping-motivated drinking were not significantly influenced by psychoeducation. Finally, biological sex was not demonstrated to have a moderating influence on psychoeducation. Together, results suggest that educating individuals on the impact of PTSS and hazardous alcohol use on both mental and physical health may facilitate motivation to change their behavior; however, an additional component of psychoeducation (e.g., alternative coping strategies) may be necessary to modify coping-motivated use and enhance one's confidence to refrain from alcohol in the context of negative affect.
Citation
Bujarski, S. J. (2015). An Examination of Psychoeducation and its Potential Modifying Influence on Alcohol Use Patterns Among Adults Reporting Co-Occurring Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Hazardous Alcohol Consumption. Graduate Theses and Dissertations Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/2137
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Clinical Psychology Commons, Educational Psychology Commons, Experimental Analysis of Behavior Commons, Substance Abuse and Addiction Commons