The Role of Emotional Avoidance in the Relation Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms and Alcohol Use and Related Harm Amongst Asian American Adults.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the current study was to investigate relations between posttraumatic (PTSD) symptom severity, negative and positive emotional avoidance, and alcohol use and related harm amongst an adult community sample of Asian Americans.

METHODS

An adult sample of Asian Americans (N = 105, 67.6% women) participated in a study examining emotional experiences, including negative and positive emotional avoidance, PTSD symptom severity, and alcohol use and related harm, across different racial and ethnic groups.

RESULTS

There was a significant indirect effect of PTSD symptom severity on alcohol use and related harm through the pathway of positive (β = -0.02, 95% CI [-0.10, 0.02]), but not negative emotional avoidance (β = 0.10, 95% CI [0.02, 0.19]).

CONCLUSIONS

The current study builds upon emerging evidence for the critical role of positive emotional experiences in the co-occurrence of PTSD and alcohol use and related harm in an underrepresented population of Asian Americans. Findings suggest that amongst Asian Americans, positive emotional avoidance may play a key role in the association between PTSD and alcohol use and related harm. Thus, it may be beneficial to address positive emotional avoidance in interventions aimed at reducing alcohol use and related harm amongst Asian Americans experiencing PTSD symptoms.