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The Potential Effects that Alcohol Use and Depression Severity have on the Relationship between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms and Suicidal Ideation

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2017, Master of Arts, University of Toledo, Psychology - Clinical.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and suicidal ideation (SI) are both relatively common among people who have experienced traumatic events, including veterans, survivors from natural disasters and violent events, etc. Researchers have proposed and tested several hypotheses to explain the relationship between PTSD and both SI and suicide attempt (SA). Two other common mental disorders, alcohol use disorder (AUD) and major depressive disorder (MDD), are variables that may play an important role in the relationship between PTSD and SI/SA. Alcohol use disorder and major depressive disorder are variables that are common among people who have concurrent posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicidal ideation (SI). This study aimed at examining the effect of depression severity and alcohol use symptoms can have on the relationship between PTSD and SI. A sample of 339 participants from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk labor-market reporting previous trauma exposure were included in the study. Both direct and indirect relationships were assessed using PTSD total scores and cluster scores based on the DSM-5 four-factor model. Path analysis results revealed that severity of PTSD and SI was both directly and indirectly related through alcohol use. In addition, each PTSD cluster score was found both directly and indirectly related through alcohol use. Regarding depression, significant indirect relationships were also found between suicidal ideation and both PTSD total and cluster scores through depression severity. Reversed path analyses demonstrated both significant direct and indirect relationships between alcohol misuse and suicidal ideation through PTSD. However, a non-significant indirect relationship was found between depression and suicidal ideation when specifying PTSD as the mediator. After including both depression and alcohol misuse as mediators in the same model, significant indirect relationships for both mediators, but non-significant direct effects, were found between PTSD severity and suicidal ideation severity.
Jon D. Elhai (Committee Chair)
Matthew T. Tull (Committee Member)
Jason C. Levine (Committee Member)
64 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Lv, X. (2017). The Potential Effects that Alcohol Use and Depression Severity have on the Relationship between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms and Suicidal Ideation [Master's thesis, University of Toledo]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1513234592830249

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Lv, Xin. The Potential Effects that Alcohol Use and Depression Severity have on the Relationship between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms and Suicidal Ideation. 2017. University of Toledo, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1513234592830249.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Lv, Xin. "The Potential Effects that Alcohol Use and Depression Severity have on the Relationship between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms and Suicidal Ideation." Master's thesis, University of Toledo, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1513234592830249

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)