Evaluation of a Drug Court Serving Female Prescription Drug Misusers: Relationship of Substance Use to Co-Occurring Trauma History and Symptoms

The present study examined the relationship between lifetime trauma, trauma symptoms, and substance use among female prescription drug misusers enrolled in a court supervised substance abuse treatment program. Participants were sixteen women enrolled in the Pinellas County Adult Drug Court WeCan outpatient rehabilitation program. Results indicated that lifetime exposure to trauma was associated with trauma symptoms, and trauma symptoms were in turn related to continued substance use. Implications for trauma-informed substance abuse treatment practices and future research are discussed.