Effects of Trauma Cue Exposure and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on Affect and Cannabis Craving in Cannabis Users With Trauma Histories: Use of Expressive Writing as an Online Cue-Reactivity Paradigm: Effets de l'exposition aux signaux traumatiques et du SSPT sur l'affect et le besoin de cannabis chez les consommateurs de cannabis ayant des antécédents de traumatismes : utilisation de l'écriture expressive comme paradigme de réactivité en ligne
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| Title: | Effects of Trauma Cue Exposure and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on Affect and Cannabis Craving in Cannabis Users With Trauma Histories: Use of Expressive Writing as an Online Cue-Reactivity Paradigm: Effets de l'exposition aux signaux traumatiques et du SSPT sur l'affect et le besoin de cannabis chez les consommateurs de cannabis ayant des antécédents de traumatismes : utilisation de l'écriture expressive comme paradigme de réactivité en ligne |
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| Authors: | DeGrace, Sarah (AUTHOR), Barrett, Sean P. (AUTHOR), Yakovenko, Igor (AUTHOR), Tibbo, Philip G. (AUTHOR), Romero-Sanchiz, Pablo (AUTHOR), Carleton, R. Nicholas (AUTHOR), Snooks, Thomas (AUTHOR), Rudnick, Abraham (AUTHOR), Stewart, Sherry H. (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. Jan2025, Vol. 70 Issue 1, p54-64. 11p. |
| Subjects: | Marijuana abuse, Emotional trauma, Affect (Psychology), Episodic memory, Psychological distress, Post-traumatic stress disorder |
| Abstract (English): | Objectives: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and cannabis use disorder (CUD) commonly co-occur. Conditioned associations between psychological trauma cues, distress, cannabis use, and desired relief outcomes may contribute to the comorbidity. These conditioned associations can be studied experimentally by manipulating trauma cue exposure in a cue-reactivity paradigm (CRP) and examining effects on affective and cognitive outcomes in participants with and without PTSD. However, traditional CRPs take place in-lab limiting recruitment/power. We aimed to examine the effects of CRP condition (trauma and neutral) and PTSD group (likely PTSD+ and PTSD−) on affective and craving outcomes using a stand-alone online expressive writing CRP. Methods: Participants (n = 202; 43.6% male; M age = 42.94 years, SD = 14.71) with psychological trauma histories and past-month cannabis use completed a measure of PTSD symptoms (PTSD Checklist-5 for DSM-5 [PCL-5]) and were randomized to complete either a trauma or neutral expressive writing task. Then they completed validated measures of affect (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-Short Form [PANAS-SF]) and cannabis craving (Marijuana Craving Questionnaire-Short Form [MCQ-SF]). Results: Linear mixed models tested the hypothesized main and interactive effects of CRP condition (trauma and neutral) and PTSD group (likely PTSD+ and PTSD−) on negative and positive affect (PANAS-SF) and cannabis craving dimensions (MCQ-SF). The hypothesized main effects of trauma versus neutral expressive writing were found for negative affect and the expectancy dimension of cannabis craving and of PTSD group for negative affect and all cannabis craving dimensions; no interactions were observed. Conclusions: Expressive writing appears a useful online CRP. Interventions focused on reducing negative affect and expectancy craving to trauma cues may prevent/treat CUD among cannabis users with PTSD. Plain Language Summary Title: The Use of an Online Expressive Writing as a Trauma Cue Exposure: Effects on Craving and Emotions Plain Language Summary: People who have gone through trauma sometimes experience both post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a tendency to use cannabis excessively (cannabis use disorder or CUD). Researchers believe that there's a connection between traumatic memories, emotional distress, cannabis use, and the relief people feel afterward. These associations can be studied experimentally by using a cue-reactivity paradigm (CRP) to examine effects on craving and affective outcomes in those with and without PTSD. This study included 202 participants who had a history of trauma and reported regular cannabis use. They were randomly assigned to write about a traumatic or neutral personal experience. After, they filled out questionnaires about their PTSD symptoms, emotions (both positive and negative), and cravings for cannabis during the task. We expected that the type of writing task (those assigned to the trauma vs. neutral condition) and PTSD status would be associated with increased cannabis craving, negative emotions, and reduced positive emotions. We found that writing about trauma increased negative feelings and positive expectations about using cannabis for relief, especially for those with PTSD. People with PTSD also seemed to have more ongoing negative feelings and cravings for cannabis. The authors suggest that traditional in-lab experiments might be necessary to fully understand how trauma reminders can influence cravings and emotions in individuals with PTSD-CUD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Abstract (French): | Le Syndrome de stress post-traumatique (SSPT) et le trouble d'usage de cannabis (TUC) surviennent souvent de pair. Les associations conditionnées entre les signaux de traumatisme psychologique, la détresse, l'usage de cannabis et les résultats de soulagement souhaités peuvent contribuer à la comorbidité.Ces associations conditionnées peuvent être étudiées expérimentalement en manipulant l'exposition à des signaux de traumatisme dans un paradigme de signal de réactivité (PSR) et en examinant les effets sur les résultats affectifs et cognitifs chez les participants avec et sans SSPT. Cependant, les PSR traditionnels ont lieu en laboratoire, ce qui limite la capacité de recrutement. Nous cherchions à examiner les effets de la condition de PSR (trauma, neutre) et du groupe SSPT (SSPT probable+, SSPT) sur les résultats affectifs et d'envie à l'aide d'un PSR d'écriture expressive en ligne autonome. Les participants (n = 202; 43,6 % masculins; M âge = 42,94 ans, ET = 14,71) ayant des antécédents de traumatismes psychologiques et fait usage de cannabis le mois précédent ont rempli une mesure des symptômes de SSPT (liste de contrôle du SSPT-5 [PCL-5]) et ont été affectés au hasard à une tâche d'écriture expressive sur un traumatisme ou neutre. Ils ont ensuite répondu à des mesures validées de l'affect (Calendrier des effets positifs et négatifs - Forme courte [PANAS-SF]) et de l'envie de cannabis (Questionnaire sur l'envie de marijuana - Formulaire court [MCQ-SF]). Des modèles linéaires mixtes ont testé l'hypothèse des effets principaux et interactifs d'une condition PSR (traumatisme, neutre) et d'un groupe SSPT (SSPT probable+, SSPT) sur l'affect négatif et les dimensions d'envie de cannabis (MCQ-SF). Les principaux effets hypothétiques du traumatisme contre l'écriture expressive neutre ont été constatés pour l'affect négatif et la dimension attendue de l'envie de cannabis et du groupe SSPT pour l'affect négatif et toutes les dimensions de l'envie de cannabis, aucune interaction n'a été observée. L'écriture expressive semble être un PSR utile en ligne. Les interventions axées sur la réduction de l'affect négatif et l'envie en attente de signaux de traumatisme peuvent prévenir/traiter le TUC chez les utilisateurs de cannabis souffrant du SSPT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Canadian Journal of Psychiatry is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | Objectives: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and cannabis use disorder (CUD) commonly co-occur. Conditioned associations between psychological trauma cues, distress, cannabis use, and desired relief outcomes may contribute to the comorbidity. These conditioned associations can be studied experimentally by manipulating trauma cue exposure in a cue-reactivity paradigm (CRP) and examining effects on affective and cognitive outcomes in participants with and without PTSD. However, traditional CRPs take place in-lab limiting recruitment/power. We aimed to examine the effects of CRP condition (trauma and neutral) and PTSD group (likely PTSD+ and PTSD−) on affective and craving outcomes using a stand-alone online expressive writing CRP. Methods: Participants (n = 202; 43.6% male; M age = 42.94 years, SD = 14.71) with psychological trauma histories and past-month cannabis use completed a measure of PTSD symptoms (PTSD Checklist-5 for DSM-5 [PCL-5]) and were randomized to complete either a trauma or neutral expressive writing task. Then they completed validated measures of affect (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-Short Form [PANAS-SF]) and cannabis craving (Marijuana Craving Questionnaire-Short Form [MCQ-SF]). Results: Linear mixed models tested the hypothesized main and interactive effects of CRP condition (trauma and neutral) and PTSD group (likely PTSD+ and PTSD−) on negative and positive affect (PANAS-SF) and cannabis craving dimensions (MCQ-SF). The hypothesized main effects of trauma versus neutral expressive writing were found for negative affect and the expectancy dimension of cannabis craving and of PTSD group for negative affect and all cannabis craving dimensions; no interactions were observed. Conclusions: Expressive writing appears a useful online CRP. Interventions focused on reducing negative affect and expectancy craving to trauma cues may prevent/treat CUD among cannabis users with PTSD. Plain Language Summary Title: The Use of an Online Expressive Writing as a Trauma Cue Exposure: Effects on Craving and Emotions Plain Language Summary: People who have gone through trauma sometimes experience both post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a tendency to use cannabis excessively (cannabis use disorder or CUD). Researchers believe that there's a connection between traumatic memories, emotional distress, cannabis use, and the relief people feel afterward. These associations can be studied experimentally by using a cue-reactivity paradigm (CRP) to examine effects on craving and affective outcomes in those with and without PTSD. This study included 202 participants who had a history of trauma and reported regular cannabis use. They were randomly assigned to write about a traumatic or neutral personal experience. After, they filled out questionnaires about their PTSD symptoms, emotions (both positive and negative), and cravings for cannabis during the task. We expected that the type of writing task (those assigned to the trauma vs. neutral condition) and PTSD status would be associated with increased cannabis craving, negative emotions, and reduced positive emotions. We found that writing about trauma increased negative feelings and positive expectations about using cannabis for relief, especially for those with PTSD. People with PTSD also seemed to have more ongoing negative feelings and cravings for cannabis. The authors suggest that traditional in-lab experiments might be necessary to fully understand how trauma reminders can influence cravings and emotions in individuals with PTSD-CUD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 07067437 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/07067437241255104 |
