Publication year: 2011
Source: Addictive Behaviors, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 3 August 2011
Marc T., Swogger , Kenneth R., Conner , Zach, Walsh , Stephen A., Maisto
Childhood abuse is a serious problem that has been linked to harmful alcohol and drug use in non-offender samples. In a sample of 219 criminal offenders, we examined the associations between childhood physical and sexual abuse and three indices of harmful substance use. Results indicate that physical abuse was associated with symptoms of alcohol use disorder and sexual abuse was associated with symptoms of drug use disorder among offenders. Both forms of childhood abuse were associated with substance use consequences, even after taking into account substance type and frequency of use. No gender by childhood abuse interactions were found. Symptoms…
Highlights: ► Among criminal offenders, childhood physical abuse was related to symptoms of alcohol use disorder, childhood sexual abuse was related to symptoms of drug use disorder, and both forms of childhood abuse were related to adult substance use consequences. ► There was no evidence that gender moderates any of the observed relationships, suggesting the importance of assessing childhood abuse among both male and female offenders with substance use problems. ► Consistent with prior work in non-offenders, symptoms of depression and generalized anxiety were found to partially mediate several childhood abuse-harmful substance use relationships, underscoring the importance of treating mood and anxiety disorders among offenders with substance use problems.