Citation

Flanagan JC, Hogan JN, Massa AA, Jarnecke AM. Aggressive Behav. 2024; 50(2): e22137.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, International Society for Research on Aggression, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/ab.22137

PMID

38358256

Abstract

Separate literatures indicate that both alcohol use disorder (AUD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are robust risk factors for using intimate partner violence (IPV). Despite the strength of these relative literatures, and the common co-occurrence of AUD and PTSD, their combined effects on IPV have rarely been examined. This study begins to address this gap by exploring the moderating effects of provisional PTSD diagnosis on the relation between heavy alcohol consumption and physical IPV using a multilevel modeling approach. Participants were adult romantic couples (N = 100) with current AUD and a history of physical IPV in their relationship.

RESULTS from the between-couple comparison indicate that couples who reported more heavy drinking days also experienced more physical IPV when at least one partner had probable PTSD. However, the within-couple comparison indicated that among partners without a provisional PTSD diagnosis, those with fewer heavy drinking days compared to their partner also reported more physical IPV perpetration. These preliminary and exploratory findings require replication and extension but provide new and important information regarding the complex intersection of heavy drinking, PTSD, and IPV among couples with AUD.

Language: en

Keywords

*Alcoholism/epidemiology; *Intimate Partner Violence; *Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/epidemiology; Adult; Alcohol Drinking; alcohol misuse; couples; Humans; intimate partner violence; posttraumatic stress; Risk Factors