The Effect of Anxiety Sensitivity on Alcohol Consumption Among Individuals With Comorbid Alcohol Dependence and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Existing research has shown that anxiety sensitivity (AS) is positively associated with alcohol use, and that individuals with high AS use alcohol to avoid or escape negative affect associated with aversive stimuli. The current study investigated the associations between AS and drinking behavior among individuals with comorbid alcohol dependence and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We assessed baseline PTSD symptoms, AS, and drinking behavior among 151 participants enrolled in a randomized clinical trial for alcohol dependence. We hypothesized that AS would moderate the association between PTSD symptoms and drinking behavior, with PTSD symptoms being more strongly associated with drinking behavior among individuals with high AS. Results showed that AS was strongly associated with PTSD (r = .48) and moderately associated with drinking behavior (r = .18). As predicted, the interaction of AS with severity of PTSD symptoms was associated with frequency of drinking; however, contrary to our hypothesis, PTSD symptoms were more strongly associated with drinking behavior among individuals with relatively low AS. The implication of the present results for treatment of both PTSD and alcohol dependence are discussed.