In spite of these limitations, to our knowledge, this is the first study to document a gender-specific association between current trauma symptoms and relapse among individuals with alcohol dependence and without current post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Moreover, it adds to a relatively small and mixed body of literature on gender differences in trauma history as a predictor of relapse by including multiple psychometrically sound assessments of the severity and extent of exposure to trauma covering multiple timeframes (i.e., childhood only and lifetime). These preliminary results suggest that, even in the absence of a current PTSD diagnosis, prior trauma and current trauma-related symptoms are both indicative of relapse risk in women with alcohol and other substance use disorders. Such findings highlight the importance of assessing trauma history and providing treatment for trauma-related symptoms for individuals with alcohol and other substance dependence, and for women in particular.
