Correlates and consequences of anxiety and depressive symptom trajectories during early treatment for alcohol use.

Abstract

We investigated whether latent trajectories of anxiety and depressive symptoms were associated with clinically relevant variables including treatment attrition among individuals seeking treatment for alcohol use. Participants were drawn from 78 addiction treatment centers and included individuals in treatment for alcohol use, had in-treatment data, and screened positive for anxiety (n=6147) or depressive symptoms (n=6197) at intake. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were measured weekly during the first month of treatment. Three trajectories of anxiety symptoms (i.e., Persistent Moderate Anxiety Symptoms, Remitting Moderate Anxiety Symptoms, and Remitting Mild Anxiety Symptoms) and depressive symptoms (i.e., Increasing Moderate Depressive Symptoms, Persistent Moderate Depressive Symptoms, and Remitting Mild Depressive Symptoms) were identified. Women, younger individuals, and individuals who endorsed greater past month benzodiazepine use and depressive symptoms at intake were more likely to be in the Persistent Moderate Anxiety Symptoms trajectory relative to the Remitting Mild Anxiety Symptoms subgroup. Women, individuals who screened positive for anxiety at intake, and individuals reporting past month heroin use were more likely to be in the Increasing Moderate Depressive Symptoms trajectory relative to the Remitting Mild Depressive Symptom trajectory. Trajectories characterized by persistent moderate anxiety and depressive symptoms during the first month of treatment were more likely to drop out of treatment compared to individuals who reported low symptom levels. Findings indicate heterogeneity in the clinical course of anxiety and depressive symptoms among individuals in treatment for alcohol use and highlight that persistently high anxiety and depressive symptoms may pose an impediment to successful treatment completion. Results also demonstrate the importance of considering demographic and clinical characteristics at treatment intake as they may have significant implications for the unfolding of anxiety and depressive symptoms during treatment and subsequent outcomes.