Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms mediate the relationship between trauma exposure and smoking status in college students.

The present study examined the relationship between trauma exposure and smoking status and the extent to which post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms mediated this relationship in a sample of 329 college students who experienced a prior traumatic event. Participants experienced an average of 2.2 prior traumas, and approximately 15% (n = 49) were smokers. Bootstrapping analyses revealed that after controlling for age, gender and time since trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms served as a pathway through which trauma exposure increased the risk of smoking [BC 95% CI (0.02, 0.18)]. Results appeared to be due largely to the influence of hyperarousal symptoms [BC 95% CI (0.05, 0.22)]. Comprehensive interventions for undergraduate smokers may be improved by attending to the impact of prior trauma and mental health needs.