Emotion Regulation as a Mediator of Trauma and Problem Substance Use in a Sample of Female Sexual Assault Survivors

• In Event: Psychosocial Mediators of Recovery Outcomes in Sexual Assault Survivors

Abstract

Research indicates that trauma history is positively related to emotion dysregulation (Ullman, Peter-Hagene, & Relyea, 2014) and poor emotion regulation skills have been linked to increased alcohol use (Berking et al., 2011). In the present study emotion regulation at Time 1 will be examined as a potential mediator of trauma history (i.e. child sexual abuse, contextual trauma, and interpersonal trauma) and problem substance use (e.g. binge drinking, problem drinking, illicit drug use, etc.) at Time 2 in a sample of sexually assaulted women (N = 1,863). Preliminary analyses point to a significant positive relationship between trauma history and emotion dysregulation. Both trauma history and emotion dysregulation were related to increased problem substance use (i.e. binge drinking, drinking to the point of intoxication, problem drinking, drug abuse severity, and illicit drug use). The research and treatment implications of poor emotion regulation as a risk factor for problem substance use among populations of women with trauma histories will be discussed.

Authors

• Amanda L. Vasquez, University of Illinois at Chicago

• Sarah E. Ullman, University of Illinois at Chicago