Meyer Laurel E, Wenzel Kevin R, Berg Samantha K, Mette Meghan, Schacht Rebecca L
Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Maryland Treatment Centers, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Subst Use Misuse. 2025;60(4):471-477. doi: 10.1080/10826084.2024.2434018. Epub 2024 Dec 9.
PTSD rates are higher among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and other sexual minority individuals (LGB+), compared to heterosexual individuals. PTSD also frequently co-occurs with substance use disorders (SUDs). However, little is known about comorbid PTSD-SUD among LGB+ individuals. Further research is important given elevated rates of PTSD and SUD among LGB+ individuals and to inform culturally responsive practice.
This cross-sectional study examined trauma exposure, PTSD severity, and emotion regulation (ER) difficulties among LGB+ and heterosexual individuals in residential SUD treatment. We hypothesized that LGB+ individuals would report more trauma exposure and more severe PTSD and ER difficulties compared to heterosexual peers. We also hypothesized that adding ER difficulties to the hierarchical regression model would attenuate the contribution of sexual minority status to PTSD symptom severity.
Cross-sectional data were collected questionnaires from 132 adults receiving residential SUD treatment ( age = 39.79 [SD = 12.26] years; 35% women, 65% men; 49% White, 40% Black, 11% multiracial/another race). Eighteen percent of the sample identified as LGB+ (29% gay or lesbian, 63% bisexual, and 8% other), and 82% identified as heterosexual. Consistent with hypotheses, LGB+ participants reported larger numbers of traumatic events ( < 0.01) and more severe PTSD symptoms ( < 0.01) and ER difficulties ( < 0.05). Controlling for trauma exposure, the association between sexual minority status and PTSD symptom severity became non-significant after adding ER difficulties to the model.
This suggests that ER may play an important role in the relationship between sexual minority status and PTSD severity in individuals with SUD.
与异性恋者相比，女同性恋、男同性恋、双性恋及其他性少数群体（LGB+）中创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）的发病率更高。PTSD也常与物质使用障碍（SUDs）并发。然而，对于LGB+个体中PTSD与SUD的共病情况知之甚少。鉴于LGB+个体中PTSD和SUD的发病率较高，进一步的研究很重要，可为具有文化适应性的实践提供依据。
这项横断面研究调查了接受住院SUD治疗的LGB+个体和异性恋个体的创伤暴露情况、PTSD严重程度及情绪调节（ER）困难。我们假设，与异性恋同龄人相比，LGB+个体报告的创伤暴露更多、PTSD和ER困难更严重。我们还假设，在分层回归模型中加入ER困难会减弱性少数群体身份对PTSD症状严重程度的影响。
收集了132名接受住院SUD治疗的成年人的横断面数据（年龄 = 39.79 [标准差 = 12.26]岁；35%为女性，65%为男性；49%为白人，40%为黑人，11%为多种族/其他种族）。样本中有18%的人认定为LGB+（29%为男同性恋或女同性恋，63%为双性恋，8%为其他），82%的人认定为异性恋。与假设一致，LGB+参与者报告的创伤事件数量更多（<0.01）、PTSD症状更严重（<0.01）以及ER困难更多（<0.05）。在控制创伤暴露后，在模型中加入ER困难后，性少数群体身份与PTSD症状严重程度之间的关联变得不显著。
这表明ER可能在SUD个体的性少数群体身份与PTSD严重程度之间的关系中起重要作用。
