(PS2-41) Substance Use and Religious Struggles

Abstract Text: Emerging and young adulthood (EYA) is a critical period marked by significant life transitions and increased substance use risk. Trauma exposure can lead to negative posttraumatic cognitions and Religious/Spiritual (R/S) struggles, which may contribute to substance use. This study examines whether r/s struggles and posttraumatic cognitions mediate the relationship between trauma exposure and substance use among EYA. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 347 trauma-exposed EYA (ages 18-35). Participants completed assessments on trauma exposure (TLEQ, ACEs), R/S struggles (RSS-14), posttraumatic cognitions (PTCI-9), and substance use (ASSIST 3.0). Parallel mediation analysis examined the indirect effects of R/S struggles and posttraumatic cognitions. R/S struggles significantly mediated the relationship between trauma exposure and substance use, whereas posttraumatic cognitions did not. Greater trauma exposure predicted increased R/S struggles, which in turn was linked to higher substance use. Findings highlight the importance of addressing R/S struggles in interventions for substance use among trauma-exposed EYA. Mental health professionals should integrate spiritual assessments alongside cognitive approaches to enhance treatment outcomes.