PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Compared to either disorder alone, co-occurring alcohol use disorder (AUD) and posttraumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) has a more complex clinical and treatment course that imposes significant health burden on veterans.
Identifying novel mechanisms to improve integrated AUD/PTSD treatment outcomes is a public health priority
that aligns with NIAAA’s strategic goal to advance treatment of alcohol-related conditions through the refinement
of behavioral and pharmacological treatments. Self-compassion is a cognitive skill that may facilitate more
effective integrated AUD/PTSD treatment. Self-compassion is proposed to function by tapping into an innate
care-giving system that could interact with oxytocin’s prosocial effects such as feelings of safety and trust. The
current study will leverage an ongoing NIAAA-sponsored clinical trial that is examining the efficacy of oxytocin
compared to placebo to improve outcomes in an integrated behavioral treatment among veterans with
AUD/PTSD. The primary goal of the proposed study is to examine the bivariate longitudinal associations between
self-compassion and treatment outcomes. The secondary goal is to examine whether veterans higher in self-
compassion and administered oxytocin will outperform veterans in the placebo condition. Finally, we will utilize
ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to capture the associations between self-compassion, alcohol
consumption and problem severity, and PTSD symptoms in a real-world context. We hypothesize that self-
compassion will enable more adaptive responding to AUD and PTSD symptoms (e.g., managing craving, lapses,
maladaptive thinking patterns) thereby promoting a more efficient treatment course and reducing susceptibility
to risky alcohol use or relapse. This is an important and feasible project that will provide novel insights into the
role of self-compassion in AUD recovery among veterans with co-occurring PTSD. This project will also provide
critical training experiences necessary to facilitate the candidate’s long-term goal to be an independent alcohol
researcher. Under the proposed award, the candidate will have the opportunity to 1) master the extant literature
on behavioral and pharmacological interventions for AUD/PTSD; 2) acquire new skills in the design and
implementation of clinical trials; 3) hone skills in naturalistic assessment methods such as EMA; 4) advance
longitudinal data analytic capabilities; and 5) increase scholarly productivity through grant and manuscript
development. She will accomplish these deliberately selected training goals by leading the proposed research
project, engaging in a comprehensive mentorship plan with highly skilled sponsors, and participating in a
carefully selected program of didactic training opportunities. The training will be carried out at the Medical
University of South Carolina (MUSC) in the Addiction Sciences Division. MUSC is a renowned academic medical
center known for its innovative and excellence in alcohol research. Thus, the candidate will have access to an
institution and sponsors with a strong history and commitment to clinical alcohol research.
