Trauma Among People with Substance Use Disorder: The Role of Military Experience

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Sergio Martinez
Sarah Manchak

Abstract

By Sergio Martinez, Criminal Justice


Advisor: Sarah Manchak



Presentation ID: 20


Abstract: People with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) are likely to have had a history of traumatic experiences. Several scholars have suggested that this trauma is, in fact, a risk factor for the development of SUD. Many people may self-medicate with illicit substances in order to cope with the symptoms of trauma. The experience of both trauma and SUD is quite common in military samples. Less is known, however, about how people with military backgrounds differ from those without in their trauma and substance use histories. This study uses a de-identified data set of 151 individuals in court-ordered SUD inpatient treatment to compare people with and without a military background on prior experiences of trauma and current SUD-related clinical constructs of onset, severity, and substance preference, treatment motivation, and treatment engagement. This study will offer helpful insight to practitioners about what factors to target with SUD treatment clients who have military backgrounds.

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Category: Social (In)Justice