Characterization of comorbid PTSD in treatment-seeking alcohol dependent inpatients: Severity and personality trait differences

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is often comorbid with alcohol dependence (AD), but little is known about the characteristics of AD treatment-seeking inpatients with PTSD. We examined differences between treatment-seeking alcohol dependent inpatients with and without comorbid PTSD. We hypothesized that those with AD and PTSD would have higher levels of: (1) alcohol use and AD severity; (2) anxiety and mood disorders; (3) neuroticism. Methods: Individuals (N = 411, mean age = 41.7 ± 10.0 years) with AD were monitored over 30 days in a suburban inpatient alcohol treatment setting. Patients were evaluated to identify AD and comorbid PTSD, mood and anxiety disorders, alcohol use and dependence severity, personality, and aggression. Results: Those with PTSD (19% of the sample) did not differ in the amount of alcohol consumed, but had greater: (1) severity of AD (p = 0.001, d = 0.44); (2) diagnosis of anxiety (p = 0.000, OR = 3.64) and mood (p = 0.000, OR = 4.83) disorders; and (3) levels of neuroticism (p < 0.001, d = 0.67) and aggression (p < 0.001, d = 0.81). Conclusions: AD patients with comorbid PTSD present a more severe phenotype across AD severity, frequency of anxiety and mood disorders, and levels of neuroticism and aggression. This group may benefit from concurrent treatment of both AD and PTSD. Future research can investigate neuroticism as a potential treatment target.