Over the past decade, research on the epidemiology, nature, and meaning of the comorbidity between trauma, PTSD, and substance abuse has burgeoned. Changes in the political and social climate of the United States during this time have brought with them new challenges. Changes in the definitions of both posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse have been proposed by those involved with diagnosing and treating people with these issues; some of these changes are expected to be reflected in future diagnostic systems.

Trauma and Substance Abuse offers a broad overview of current trends in the field of co-occurring substance abuse and PTSD from both clinical and research perspectives. The goal of this volume, newly revised to include special settings, such as court systems and disasters, and special populations, such as veterans, is to clarify issues specific to trauma, PTSD, and substance abuse and to translate both quantitative and qualitative data into specific recommendations for clinicians, researchers, and administrators.