High dose alcohol consumption predicts less reduction in post-traumatic stress symptoms after a campus mass shooting

ABSTRACT

Background: Recognizing that alcohol might affect subsequent processing of trauma-related information, this study examined whether high dose alcohol consumption (HDAC) following a campus mass shooting affected the relation between shooting exposure and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS).

Methods: Female participants (N = 691) recorded levels of physical exposure to the shooting event, alcohol use, and PTSS 1 month following the shooting event and 8 months later.

Results: No evidence was found to suggest that pre-shooting HDAC moderated the relationship between trauma exposure and PTSS 1 month following the shooting. HDAC in the month following the shooting predicted less resolution of PTSS 8 months later. Specifically, at higher (but not lower) levels of HDAC, shooting exposure was associated with less reduction in PTSS from 1 to 8 months post-trauma. Several alternate explanations were ruled out.

Conclusions: Less reduction in PTSS seems to occur at high levels of both shooting exposure and HDAC. Theoretical implications and directions for future research are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Post-traumatic stress
• high dose alcohol consumption
• campus mass shooting

Acknowledgements

We express our gratitude to the research participants for their contributions to this work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

David P. Valentiner http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2016-5534

Notes

1. This definition was different than typical United States standards. Based on the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 4 or more drinks in a sitting are considered to represent heavy drinking for women.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by grants from the Joyce Foundation, the National Institute for Child and Human Development (1R15HD049907-01A1), and the National Institute of Mental Health (5R21MH085436-02).