Anxiety sensitivity in the association between posttraumatic stress and substance use disorders: A systematic review

Clin Psychol Rev. 2018 Jun:62:37-55. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2018.05.003. Epub 2018 May 17.

Abstract

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorders (SUD) are complex psychiatric conditions that commonly co-occur. No evidence-based, "gold standard" treatments for PTSD/SUD comorbidity are currently available. Thus, it is imperative to better understand cognitive-affective mechanisms, targetable via cognitive-behavioral intervention (i.e., malleable), that may be related to both disorders in order to improve the theory and treatment of PTSD/SUD. Anxiety sensitivity is a malleable cognitive-affective factor with relevance to both PTSD and SUD. This systematic review focused on the published literature on anxiety sensitivity and trauma/PTSD and substance use/SUD from 1966 - May 1, 2018, and includes a total of 35 manuscripts. The state of the literature, limitations, and future research directions are discussed.

Keywords: Alcohol use; Anxiety sensitivity; Drug use; PTSD; Smoking; Systematic review; Trauma.

Publication types

  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • Anxiety / complications
  • Anxiety / psychology*
  • Humans
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / complications
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / psychology*
  • Substance-Related Disorders / complications
  • Substance-Related Disorders / psychology*