Anxiety Sensitivity and the Situational Antecedents to Drug and Alcohol Use: An Evaluation of Anxiety Patients with Substance Use Disorders

Abstract

Although anxiety and substance use disorders co-occur at a high rate, little is known about the cause of this association. Relations between anxiety sensitivity (AS), posited to play an important role in the development of anxiety disorders and some substance use problems, the situational antecedents of drug and alcohol use, and substance preference, were evaluated in inpatients with anxiety or mood disorders and concurrent substance use disorders. AS predicted substance use even after controlling for variance attributable to trait anxiety and diagnostic status. AS was more strongly associated with the use of depressants in situations involving negative reinforcement. If AS proves to be a reliable risk factor for anxiety disorders co-occurring with substance use disorders, interventions structured to reduce AS would become important components of treatment and prevention programs.