141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

287749
Substance abuse and IPV among newly married couples: Moderation by antisocial personality and spousal substance use

Tuesday, November 5, 2013 : 8:50 AM - 9:10 AM

Philip Smith, MS , Community Health and Health Behavior, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY
Gregory G. Homish, PhD , Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY
R. Lorraine Collins, PhD , Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY
Gary A. Giovino, PhD, MS , Department of Community Health and Health Behavior; School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY
Kenneth E. Leonard, PhD , Research Institute on Addictions, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
Substance abuse is associated with greater risk for intimate partner violence (IPV). The extent to which alcohol or drug use may influence different sub-types of IPV remains unclear. We investigated this issue using data from a community sample of newly married couples, limiting the sample to couples who reported IPV at the time of marriage (n = 321). We calculated all estimates using generalized multilevel models, specifying a Poisson distribution for the IPV outcome and a log link function. We examined whether frequency of binge drinking and frequency of marijuana use at baseline predicted frequency of IPV over the next four years. We adjusted estimates for household income, age, parental status, and education. For both Husband and Wife IPV frequency, we examined predictive three-way interactions between substance use, antisocial personality, and spousal substance use. When these interactions were non-significant, we examined the composite two-way interactions. Only significant associations were found for those scoring low on antisocial personality. For both husbands and wives, frequency of binge drinking predicted IPV frequency among those whose spouses reported infrequent binge drinking (husbands RR = 1.30, wives RR = 1.33; p < 0.05). Marijuana use predicted greater frequency of IPV for husbands (RR = 1.17) and lesser frequency of IPV for wives (RR = 0.72) (p < 0.05). Community-level interventions targeted at reducing IPV may be more effective if focused on: 1) reducing substance use among those at risk for IPV particularly if perpetrators are non-antisocial; and 2) when substance use is discordant between spouses.

Learning Areas:
Epidemiology
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Discuss the interplay between substance use, antisocial personality, and spousal substance use in the prediction of intimate partner violence perpetration

Keywords: Substance Abuse, Domestic Violence

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have published multiple papers and presented at multiple national conferences on the topic of substance use and intimate partner violence. I have direct experience working with victims of domestic violence. I am the principle investigator on a dissertation grant from the National Institute on Drug abuse focusing on substance use and intimate partner violence.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.