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Veterans see greater alcohol use improvements from trauma-focused treatments for PTSD and substance use

New RTI study finds trauma-focused therapies more effective for veterans with PTSD and substance use disorder than for civilians


RESEARCH TRIANGLE, N.C. — A new study from RTI International, an independent scientific research institute, has found that trauma-focused psychotherapies are more effective in reducing alcohol use among veterans with co-occurring post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder (SUD) than among civilians with the same conditions.

The study, published in the journal Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, analyzed data from 3,228 participants across 26 randomized controlled trials. Researchers used advanced statistical techniques to compare the effectiveness of various treatments for co-occurring PTSD and SUD, focusing on whether veteran status influenced treatment outcomes.

“Historically, research suggested veterans might not respond as well as civilians to PTSD treatment; however, we now have large-scale evidence that trauma-focused therapies are not only effective for veterans with PTSD and co-occurring SUD but may actually offer veterans unique benefits for alcohol use outcomes,” said lead author Shannon Blakey, Ph.D., a research clinical psychologist at RTI. “Our hope is that this research will help inform and improve care for nearly 700,000 veterans living in North Carolina and millions nationwide, many of whom receive care in community settings.”

The study examined three types of treatment outcomes: PTSD symptom severity, alcohol use severity and drug use severity. While trauma-focused psychotherapies were more effective than treatment as usual in reducing alcohol use overall, this benefit was significantly more pronounced among veterans.

Many veterans in the analyzed trials received treatment through the Veterans Health Administration, which often provides wraparound services and has policies supporting concurrent treatment for PTSD and SUD. These factors may contribute to the improved outcomes observed among veterans, according to the authors.

The research was supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under Award Number R01AA02585.

View the full study

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