A month in review: longitudinal dynamics between daily PTSD symptom networks, affect, and drinking behaviors in female college students.

Introduction: Sexual victimization (SV) is common among college women, with approximately half of those who have experienced SV meeting criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) within a year. Both SV and PTSD are associated with alcohol misuse among college women, often explained by the self-medication hypothesis. Existing literature focuses on overall PTSD severity rather than potential day-to-day fluctuations in specific symptoms, which might play a crucial role in understanding alcohol misuse risk. Studies also examine only same-day or next-day associations between PTSD and drinking, neglecting the potential for longer-term changes. Methods: This study explores the short-term longitudinal stability and time-lagged predictive dynamics of PTSD symptoms, affect, and drinking behavior among 174 female college heavy episodic drinkers over four weeks. Participants were categorized into three groups: those with a history of SV and PTSD Results: The PTSD group showed higher longitudinal stability for PTSD symptom networks (adjusted Discussion: These findings challenge assumptions regarding immediate effects of PTSD and affect on drinking behavior and underscore the need for therapeutic approaches that consider longer-range effects. Future research should expand on these findings by incorporating longer-range assessments and exploring a broader range of symptom interactions.