NCJ Number
203529
Journal
Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly Volume: 21 Issue: 4 Dated: 2003 Pages: 37-54
Editor(s)
Thomas F. McGovern Ed.D.
Date Published
2003
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This study examined childhood trauma and emotional abuse among alcohol and drug abusing women by evaluating the type of childhood trauma, degree of avoidance coping, and alcohol and drug use among women in residential and outpatient treatment.
Abstract
Studies have suggested that problem-focused coping plays an important role in managing stress and avoiding relapse following treatment, specifically women with a history of abuse who use emotion-focused methods. This study directly investigated the relationships among childhood abuse, avoidance coping, and drug abuse. It evaluated the different types of childhood trauma, avoidance coping, and patterns of drug and alcohol use. The study asked five questions relevant to improving treatment protocols: (1) what are the patterns of childhood abuse; (2) is there a significant relationship between childhood abuse and alcohol and drug use; (3) is there a significant relationship between childhood abuse and avoidance coping; (4) are there differences in avoidance coping and alcohol and drug use between women with and without a history of childhood emotional, physical, and sexual abuse; and (5) are there differences in problem-solving coping between women with and without a history of childhood trauma? One hundred and twelve participants were recruited from either a women’s residential or outpatient addiction treatment program at the Diagnostic Rehabilitation Center in Philadelphia, PA. The questionnaires and measures used in the study included: the Demographic Information Questionnaire, Child Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Avoidance Coping Measure, and the Alcohol and Drug Use Measure. Most of the women who participated in the study had a history of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, and more than half experienced some form of emotional abuse. Alcohol and drug-abusing women with and without comorbid psychological disorders had very high rates of abuse. Findings which addressed the questions asked included: (1) sexual abuse directly predicted drug use; (2) sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and physical abuse independently predicted avoidance coping; (3) differences existed in alcohol and drug use between women with and without a history of childhood emotional, physical, and sexual abuse; and (4) women with a history of emotional and physical abuse had more previous treatment episodes and used alcohol and other types of drugs less often compared to those without a history of abuse. Study limitations are presented and briefly discussed. References