Clinician Perspectives on Treating Adolescents with Co-occurring Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Substance Use, and Other Problems

ABSTRACT

Clinicians (N = 138) who treat adolescents with co-occurring Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder (SUD), (PTSD+SUD) were surveyed about their attitudes and practice behaviors. Most providers were trained in PTSD treatment; fewer were trained in SUD or PTSD+SUD treatments. PTSD+SUD treatment was rated more difficult than treatment of other diagnoses. Providers typically addressed symptoms of PTSD and SUD separately and sequentially, rather than with integrated approaches. There was no consensus about which clinical strategies to use with adolescent PTSD+SUD. Continued treatment development, training, and dissemination efforts are needed to equip providers with resources to deliver effective treatments to adolescents with PTSD+SUD.

KEYWORDS:

• adolescents
• comorbidity
• PTSD
• substance use
• treating adolescents

Funding

The preparation of this manuscript was supported by NIDA grants K12 DA031794 (sponsoring ZWA; PIs: Kathleen Brady and Robert Malcolm), K23 DA036566 (PI: McCauley), K23 DA038257 (PI: Adams), K02 DA039229 (PI: Back), K24 DA039783 (PI: Danielson), and R01DA031285 (PI: Danielson), NIAAA grant P50 AA010761 (PI of Center: Howard Becker; PI of Clinical Component 5: Danielson), NICHD grant K12 HD 055885 (PI: Brady) and SAMHSA grant 1 U79SM061269 (PI: Rochelle Hanson). The study was also facilitated by NIH/NCATS grant UL1TR000062 (PI: Kathleen Brady) and NIH/NCRR grant UL1 RR029882 (PI: Kathleen Brady), which supports the South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research Institute (SCTR), as well as NIDA grant DA030143 (PI: Back). The funding sources did not have any involvement in the study design; collection, analysis, or interpretation of data; writing of the report; or the decision to submit the article for publication.