Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40136054›Full record

ArticleAlcohol, clinical & experimental research2025

Trauma-related guilt, shame, and trauma type among patients with co-occurring PTSD and SUD.

Nathalie N M Faber, Sera A Lortye, Loes A Marquenie, Anna E Goudriaan, Arnoud Arntz, Marleen M de Waal

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Alcohol, clinical & experimental research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

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2citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Nathalie N M FaberArkin Mental Health Care, Jellinek, Amsterdam Institute for Addiction Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID 0009-0000-1143-5980
Sera A LortyeArkin Mental Health Care, Jellinek, Amsterdam Institute for Addiction Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Loes A MarquenieArkin Mental Health Care, Jellinek, Amsterdam Institute for Addiction Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Anna E GoudriaanArkin Mental Health Care, Jellinek, Amsterdam Institute for Addiction Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Arnoud ArntzDepartment of Clinical Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Marleen M de WaalArkin Mental Health Care, Jellinek, Amsterdam Institute for Addiction Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Funding

Stichting tot Steun Vereniging tot Christelijke Verzorging van Geestes- en Zenuwzieken 244
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSubstance use disorder (SUD) frequently co-occurs with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Feelings of shame and guilt are associated with either disorder but have not been studied in patients with both disorders. Index trauma characteristics are associated with PTSD severity and trauma-related shame. This study examines the effects of trauma-related guilt and shame, and index trauma on SUD and PTSD severity in a clinical sample of individuals with co-occurring SUD and PTSD.

methodsParticipants were SUD-treatment-seeking patients with co-occurring PTSD (N = 209) who completed the Clinician-Administered PTSD scale for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5; CAPS-5), Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT), Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT), Trauma-Related Guilt Inventory (TRGI) and Trauma-Related Shame Inventory (TRSI). Regression analyses examined the predictive values of PTSD severity, trauma-related guilt, and shame on alcohol and drug use problems, and the predictive values of trauma-related guilt and shame on PTSD severity. One-way ANOVA and follow-up t-tests examined the effects of index trauma on PTSD severity and trauma-related shame.

resultsPTSD severity was significantly associated with drug use disorder (DUD) severity and showed a curvilinear relationship to alcohol use disorder (AUD) severity. Trauma-related guilt was not significantly associated with SUD severity, while trauma-related shame was significantly associated with DUD severity (but not AUD severity). Both trauma-related guilt and shame were significantly associated with PTSD severity; however, only trauma-related shame showed an independent association. Interpersonal (especially sexual) index traumas were associated with increased trauma-related guilt and shame, while childhood index traumas were associated with increased PTSD severity.

conclusionsTrauma-related guilt and shame might be important focus points in PTSD treatment, but for SUD problems, this study only showed an association between trauma-related shame and drug use problems. Trauma-related shame seems to be a more important treatment focus point than trauma-related guilt in the treatment of PTSD. It becomes particularly relevant for interpersonal index traumas (especially sexual trauma). Childhood traumas require attention in SUD-PTSD co-occurrence, given the higher severity of PTSD.

Indexed as

GuiltShameStress Disorders, Post-TraumaticSubstance-Related DisordersAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedYoung Adultindex traumaPTSDSUDtrauma‐related guilttrauma‐related shame

Identifiers

PMID40136054
PMCPMC12098809

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.