Two-year posttreatment functioning and coping of substance abuse patients with posttraumatic stress disorder

The 2-year posttreatment course of substance abuse patients with posttrauma tic stress disorder (PTSD) was examined in a multisite evaluation of Vetera ns Affairs substance abuse treatment. Substance abuse patients with PTSD (S UD-PTSD) were compared with patients with only substance use disorder (SUD only) and patients with other comorbid psychiatric diagnoses (SUD-PSY) on o utcomes during the 2 years after treatment. SUD-PTSD patients had a poorer long-term course on substance use, psychological symptom, and psychosocial outcomes than SUD-only and SUD-PSY patients. Coping methods were examined a s mediators of the effect of PTSD on substance use outcomes. Greater use of avoidance coping styles and less use of approach coping at 1 year partiall y accounted for the association of PTSD with 2-year substance use. Treatmen ts that address multiple domains of functioning and focus on alternative co ping strategies are recommended for this population.