Several important strengths also warrant mention. All symptoms were assessed using the AUDADIS, a structured interview with good test-retest reliability in U.S. (e.g., 32–34) and international studies (36,38). Extensive training and quality control procedures were implemented to ensure proper administration of the AUDADIS. The study obtained a large sample with a good response rate. Respondents were drawn from the general population in Israel, which is an informative population in which to understand associations between TE, PTSD, and SUDs, given ongoing armed conflict in the area. This study determined the relative contributions of TE and PTSD on SUDs, which provides valuable information beyond studies that only examine the effect of TE or PTSD on SUDs. Results were strengthened by sensitivity analyses demonstrating similar relationships to additional alcohol, nicotine, and marijuana variables. The differences between results for alcohol, nicotine, and marijuana demonstrated the benefits of separately evaluating dependence for different substances.
