How changes in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) severity mediate substance use disorder (SUD) severity during and after treatment for co-occurring PTSD and SUD: Results from Project Harmony.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) commonly co-occurs with substance use disorders (SUD). Comorbid PTSD and SUD (PTSD+SUD) is associated with greater severity and impairment and poorer treatment outcomes. Several interventions exist to treat PTSD, SUD and PTSD+SUD; however, research has yet to elucidate the indirect pathways underlying treatment for PTSD+SUD. The present study examined how changes in PTSD severity relate to changes in SUD severity across treatment types during and post-treatment.

Methods

Observational study using data collected as part of Project Harmony, a virtual clinical trial employing integrative data analysis to compare treatment effectiveness of PTSD+SUD interventions from 36 randomized controlled trials for PTSD+SUD (n = 4046).

SUBMITTER: Hien DA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12529247 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature