Trauma Symptoms for Men and Women in Substance Abuse Treatment: A Latent Transition Analysis

•Changes in trauma-symptoms for clients in substance abuse treatment were examined.•Responsiveness to treatment was assessed using latent transition analysis (LTA).•Non-clinical, moderate symptoms, and severe symptoms groups emerged.•Different symptom constellations within groups were found for men and women.•Symptom reductions were noted for most groups but some were the same or worse.

Differences in trauma symptoms among men and women in two court-involved substance abuse treatment programs were examined using latent transition analysis (LTA). It was hypothesized that women would be more likely to report clinical-level trauma symptoms than would men, but that both groups would show reductions in symptoms over time. Symptom classifications were determined by the LTA. Scores on the Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI) were obtained on 381 program participants, 112 men and 269 women, at intake and after 6 months in treatment. Three ordered classes were obtained for men and women at each time point: non-clinical (no TSI scales elevated), moderate symptoms (1 or 2 scales elevated) and severe symptoms (all scales elevated). Men were more likely to be represented in the non-clinical class at intake, while women had higher representation in the severe symptoms classification. There was a reduction of trauma symptoms for most men and women, but some groupings had symptoms that remained the same or became worse over time. Using gender and trauma-symptoms to help determine interventions is discussed.