Impact of trauma symptomatology on personal networks among substance using women

Interpersonal trauma poses challenges and complications to the development and maintenance of personal networks of substance using women. Few studies have examined its effects on personal network support availability and quality of relationships, limiting our understanding of the social context in which substance using women with a history of trauma are embedded.

Women with substance use disorders (SUD) who received treatment at three county-funded, women-only intensive treatment programs (N=375) were interviewed at intake and at follow ups 1, 6, and 12 months later. A network software program, EgoNet, elicited 25 network members per respondent, social support availability, and the quality of network relationship at each assessment. Trauma symptomatology was assessed with Trauma Symptom Checklist-40 at intake.

Findings from longitudinal mixed model analyses indicated that higher levels of trauma symptomatology were associated with both a negative, critical quality and less closeness in network relationships over the 12 month study period. However, trauma symptoms were not related to the number of network members reported as providing emotional, concrete, or sobriety support. Effects of trauma symptoms on the support availability in the network and the quality of network relationships were consistent over the follow-up period.

Findings highlight the potential role of trauma symptoms in determining the quality of relationships within personal networks among women with SUD, suggesting the need for routine mapping of network relationships throughout treatment.