Abstract (eng)
Background: Prevalences from 36% up to 50% of a posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among patients with addiction problems are described in the literature.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine whether there are differences between people diagnosed with PTSD and people with PTSD and a comorbid alcohol problem due to the consequences of emotion regulation, affect, self-esteem, psychological flexibility, the emotions of anger and depression, anxiety, somatization.
Methods: The study included 68 participants consisting of 38 with PTSD (experimental group 1) and 30 with PTSD and an alcohol problem (experimental group 2). They all had been in youth centers in Vienna and had experienced institutional abuse. The Structured Clinical Interview (SKID) measuring the disorders and questionnaires measuring the different variables (Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, DERS; Positive and Negative Affective Schedule, PANAS; Multidimensionale Selbstwertskala, MSWS; Acceptance and Action Questionnaire, AAQ-II; Stait-Trait Anger Expression Inventory, STAXI-II; Brief Symptom Inventory, BSI-18) were used.
Results: Participants with both diagnoses showed significantly more symptoms of somatization, depression, anxiety, and scored higher on the total scale of the BSI-18 (GSI) and were psychologically less flexible than those in the experimental group 1. Furthermore, comorbid patients tended to describe more negative affect, more problems in emotion regulation and they demonstrated more often their anger (anger-out).
Conclusions: For the treatment and therapy of comorbid diseases a differentiated diagnosis is essential.