Post-trauma anhedonia is associated with increased substance use in a recently-traumatized population.

•Anhedonic symptoms of PTSD may play a role in problematic substance use after trauma.•We examined changes in post-trauma anhedonia (PTA) and substance use in recently-traumatized people.•Changes in PTA were associated with problematic substance use at 6 months post-trauma.•PTA may be a mechanism through which substance use emerges or worsens in the aftermath of trauma.