A longitudinal investigation of PTSD symptoms, hazardous drinking, and relationship satisfaction in college student dating relationships

Bibliographic Data

ID2917864
AuthorsChelsea D Mackey (0000-0002-7789-7245, University of Washington, corresponding author), Megan Elizabeth Schultz (0000-0002-5901-850X, University of Washington), Kristina H Nguyen (University of Washington), Kayne D Mettert (0000-0003-1750-7863, University of Washington), Almira Mae Bernabe (University of Washington), Mélissa Garcia (0009-0001-8959-0232, University of Washington), Anna E Jaffe (0000-0001-8679-7564, University of Washington), Mary E Larimer (0000-0002-2003-2312, University of Washington)
Year2024
Volume41
Issue10
Pages2983-3007
Publication date2024-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Social and Personal Relationships (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0265-4075 • E-ISSN: 1460-3608
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/02654075241259106
PMID40236281
OpenAlexW4399465561
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited62

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and hazardous drinking have been linked to lower relationship satisfaction; however, few studies have evaluated these associations over time in a college sample. The current study aimed to examine within-person and between-person longitudinal main and interactive effects of self-reported PTSD symptoms and hazardous drinking on relationship satisfaction in a college sample. We further examined whether individual PTSD symptom clusters (i.e., re-experiencing, avoidance, hyperarousal, and emotional numbing) uniquely predicted relationship satisfaction. College students in current dating relationships ( N = 307; 71% cisgender women) completed online self-report measures assessing relationship satisfaction, PTSD symptoms, and hazardous alcohol use on four occasions across 12 months. Multilevel models revealed that students with more severe PTSD symptoms than average had lower relationship satisfaction (i.e., at the between-person level). Additionally, higher hazardous drinking at the between-person and within-person levels was associated with lower relationship satisfaction. When examining specific PTSD symptom clusters, results indicated only emotional numbing symptoms were negatively associated with relationship satisfaction at the between-person and within-person levels after controlling for other PTSD symptom clusters. Collectively, these results underscore the impact of within- and between-person individual differences in PTSD symptoms and hazardous drinking on romantic relationships in college student populations

Longitudinal study · Mental health · Multilevel model · Psychiatry · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Child Abuse and Trauma · Clinical Psychology · Medicine · Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research · Psychology

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