Findings from this Israeli household study indicate that individuals with greater TE and PTSD symptoms were at increased risk for alcohol and nicotine dependence compared to those with less TE and PTSD symptoms. However, importantly, not all of the association between TE load and alcohol and nicotine dependence was accounted for by PTSD symptoms, suggesting that TE load had a significant effect on AD and ND after considering the effects of PTSD symptoms on these outcomes. In contrast, PTSD symptoms, but not TE load, were associated with elevated risk of MD. Despite considerable comorbidity across substance dependence types, results for one substance dependence type were not driving the results for the others as indicated by consistent findings when adjusting for the effects of the other substance dependences. For example, results for ND were similar when controlling for AD or MD such that both TE and PTSD were related to ND, and the TE effect was reduced, but remained significant, when PTSD was included in the model.
