Remaining in a situationally aggressive relationship: The role of relationship self‐efficacy

Relationship self‐efficacy (RSE) is the belief that one can resolve relationship conflicts, and it may lead victims of situational violence to remain in their relationships because they expect to minimize subsequent violence. Indeed, a longitudinal study of two samples of college students demonstrated that RSE moderates the effects of victimization on relationship dissolution; intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization was positively associated with dissolution among intimates low in RSE but was unassociated with dissolution among intimates high in RSE. Interestingly, although RSE was negatively associated with dissolution among victims, it was associated with experiencing less subsequent IPV in one sample. Ultimately, whether victims' RSE is adaptive may depend on the extent to which any minimization of conflicts eliminates violence.     

Intimate partner violence in military couples: A review of the literature

IntroductionIntimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health concern that has not received an immense amount of attention in the military community. It is well documented in military literature that rates of IPV across US military populations range from 13.5% to 58%, with considerably lower rates obtained among samples not selected on the basis of psychopathology (Marshall, Panuzio, & Taft, 2005). The main objectives are to address the this gap in literature concerning the definitions of violence used, prevalence of IPV in military intimate relationships, the nature and patterns of violence, risk factors, and theories that may help to provide a better understanding of the violence attached to this unique population.Methods and theoryCivilian and military communities are urged to work towards using common definitions and practices to facilitate comparison of rates among the populations. Furthermore, methodological tools should move towards using more multi-method and longitudinal designs, more theoretical model applications and more diverse sample selection as strategies to further our understanding of the structure and inner workings of IPV in military couples.Conclusion and recommendationsMore exhaustive research, especially in Canada, including consistent definitions and methodology needs to be conducted. Also, future research needs to address the gap in the literature regarding theory application, risk factors associated with this phenomenon, and prevention methods.     

Examining impelling and disinhibiting factors for intimate partner violence in veterans

We examined correlates of intimate partner violence (IPV) in a military Veteran sample (N = 129) using Finkel's (2007) framework for understanding the interactions between impelling and disinhibiting risk factors. Correlates investigated included head contact events (HCEs), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and antisocial features. Results indicated that antisocial features were significantly associated with IPV at the bivariate level. PTSD symptoms also were associated with IPV, but this association was marginally significant. Tests of moderation provided support for the expectation that HCEs would potentiate associations between antisocial features and IPV. HCEs also moderated the association between PTSD symptoms and IPV. However, contrary to expectations, the opposite pattern emerged such that PTSD symptoms were associated with a higher rate of IPV for those without a history of HCEs. Study findings have potentially important implications for furthering our understanding of the complex etiology of IPV in this population.     

Coparenting Quality Mediates the Association Between Intimate Partner Violence and Child Behavior Problems in Low-income,Racial and Ethnic Minority Families

Exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) in the family context has detrimental effects for children’s physical health and psychological adjustment. The current study examined the direct links between IPV and children’s externalizing and internalizing behavior problems and the indirect effect of coparenting quality as reported by a sample of 79 (80% African American, 11% Latina, and 9% Multiracial/Other), low-income mothers of children aged 2–12 years, the majority of whom were not in a romantic relationship (61%) or cohabitating with their child’s biological father (64%). Results indicated that IPV history was directly associated with higher rates of internalizing behaviors, but not with externalizing behaviors. Coparenting quality mediated the association between IPV and child externalizing and internalizing behaviors, when controlling for parent relationship status, such that IPV history was associated with lower levels of coparenting quality, which was associated with higher rates of child behavior problems. Findings highlight the importance of culturally appropriate self-report measures of coparenting and implications of IPV in racially and ethnically diverse low-income families on child adjustment.

     

Relationship Contexts as Sources of Socialization: An Exploration of Intimate Partner Violence Experiences of Economically Disadvantaged African American Adolescents

Intimate partner violence (IPV) among African Americans is a serious public health concern. Research suggest that African Americans adolescents, particularly those from economically disadvantaged communities, are at heightened risk for experiencing and perpetrating dating violence compared to youth from other racial and ethnic groups. In the present study, we examined different relationship contexts that are sources of IPV socialization. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 economically disadvantaged African American adolescents. Content analysis yielded five relationship contexts through which the participants witnessed, experienced, and perpetrated IPV: (a) adolescents’ own dating relationships (64%), (b) siblings and extended family members (e.g., cousins, aunts, uncles) (59%), (c) parent-partners (27%), (d) friends (23%), and (e) neighbors (18%). Adolescents also frequently described IPV in their own dating relationships and in parent-partner relationships as mutual. Moreover, they appeared to minimize the experience of IPV in their own relationships. Efforts to reduce rates of IPV among economically disadvantaged African American adolescents should consider these relational contexts through which adolescents are socialized with regards to IPV and adolescents’ beliefs about mutual violence in relationships. Results highlight the importance of culturally relevant prevention and intervention programs that consider these relationship contexts.     

Intimate partner violence in the military: Treatment considerations

While considerable research has examined the prevalence of IPV in civilian couples, much less information is available on married or cohabitating couples in which one or both parents are active duty soldiers or veterans of foreign wars. In this review, we explore various aspects of the partner violence phenomena among military personnel (i.e., active duty and veterans) and their implications for intervention. We highlight (a) the scope of the problem, (b) discuss domestic violence as defined by the Department of Defense (DoD), (c) list prevalence rates of IPV among military families, (d) identify correlates of IPV, and (e) discuss treatment options for providers working with these couples. We also discuss the barriers to intervention and their implications for victims, perpetrators, and providers. Conclusions and recommendations for future research directions are also briefly discussed.     

Inter-partner violence in the context of gangs: A review

Gang youth are a concern to society because they are often associated with crime and acts of violence and are particularly at-risk for involvement in sexual victimization, relationship abuse, and inter-partner violence (IPV). The current study reviews the nature of the association between gang involvement and IPV. The study summarizes what is currently known about IPV and gangs, reviews risk factors that are connected to both gang membership and relationship violence, the manifestation of relationship abuse and violence among those affiliated or associate with gangs, and how factors such as gender roles and the social structure of gangs play a role in IPV risk. Eighteen articles met the criteria for the current study and are described in this review. Implications for the additive risk associated with gang involvement are discussed.     

Childhood Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Predicts Intimate Partner Victimization in Young Women

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with interpersonal dysfunction during childhood and adolescence, yet little is known about the romantic relationships of young women with childhood ADHD. In the present study, we draw from a longitudinal sample of girls followed prospectively into young adulthood, comparing those with (n?=?114) and without (n?=?79; comparisons) childhood ADHD in terms of their risk for physical victimization by an intimate partner (physical IPV; e.g., slapping, punching) by 17–24 years of age. We examined ADHD both diagnostically and dimensionally, at the same time establishing reliable indicators of young adult physical IPV. Externalizing and internalizing problems, and academic achievement during adolescence, were tested as potential mediators. Overall, participants with a childhood diagnosis of ADHD experienced more physical IPV than did comparisons (30.7 % vs. 6.3 %). In parallel, IPV was associated with higher levels of childhood ADHD symptomatology (d?=?0.73). Young women with persistent ADHD stood the highest risk of experiencing IPV (37.3 %), followed by those with transient ADHD (19.0 %) and those never-diagnosed (5.9 %). Academic achievement measured during adolescence was a significant partial mediator of the childhood ADHD symptomatology-young adult IPV relationship, even with control of sociodemographic, psychiatric, and cognitive factors, including childhood reading and math disorders. Findings indicate that in young women, childhood ADHD is a specific and important predictor of physically violent victimization in their intimate relationships. This vulnerable population requires IPV prevention and intervention, with academic empowerment as a key target.     

Hazardous alcohol use and intimate partner violence in the military: Understanding protective factors

Hazardous alcohol use is a well-established risk factor for men's intimate partner violence (IPV), with dozens of studies demonstrating the association. The current study extends understanding of the hazardous alcohol use-IPV link by examining what factors moderate this association in a more systematic and broader way that has been done in past studies. Individual, family, workplace, community, and developmental factors were tested as moderators of the hazardous alcohol use and IPV link in a large, representative sample of active duty service members (the 2006 Community Assessment), and the results were tested for replicability in a hold-out sample. Two family variables (relationship satisfaction and parent-child satisfaction), 1 community variable (community safety), and 3 developmental variables (years in the military, marital length, and family income/pay grade) cross-validated as significant moderators of the association between men's hazardous alcohol use and IPV. Across the significant moderators, the association between hazardous alcohol use and men's IPV was weakened by maturation/development, improved community safety, and better relationship functioning. No individual or workplace variables were significant moderators for men, and there were no significant moderators found for women. The results support the importance of a developmental and relational perspective to understanding the hazardous alcohol use-IPV link, rather than solely an individual coping perspective. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).     

Intimate Partner Violence and Drinking among Victims of Adult Sexual Assault

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is associated with problem drinking. Correlates of alcohol consumption frequency and problem drinking were examined among female sexual assault survivors (N = 1,863). Data were analyzed with blockwise multiple regressions. Results show heavy alcohol consumption and problem drinking were associated with IPV history, sexual assault by strangers or acquaintances, and maladaptive coping. Physical IPV history and partner sexual assault showed distinct effects on drinking outcomes among women. Physical IPV history partially mediated the effect of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) on problem drinking. Research is needed to examine the relationship between victimization histories and drinking among female sexual assault victims. This might enable treatments and interventions to be tailored to the trauma histories of female victims.     

Intimate partner violence among HIV positive pregnant women in South Africa

The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) and associated factors among pregnant HIV-infected women in primary health care facilities in Nkangala and Gert Sibande districts, Mpumalanga, South Africa. Participants were 673 women who were, on average, 28.39 ± 5.73 years old. Data were collected through Audio Computer Assisted Self Interview (ACASI), and analysed using the IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Overall, 56.3% reported having experienced either psychological or physical IPV, and 19.6% reported physical IPV. In logistic multivariable regression analyses, higher levels of depressive symptoms and greater perceived stigma were associated with combined physical and psychological IPV. Psychological IPV and physical IPV were also individually associated with greater perceived stigma and higher levels of depressive symptoms. The design and implementation of evidence-informed interventions that can empower and protect HIV-infected pregnant women from IPV is essential to managing their health-related quality of life.     

Intimate partner violence exposure predicts PTSD treatment engagement and outcome in cognitive processing therapy

Intimate partner violence (IPV) exposure was examined as a predictor of treatment engagement (i.e., starting and completing therapy) and treatment outcome in 150 women taking part in a dismantling study of cognitive processing therapy (CPT) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; Resick et al., 2008). Results indicate that women in a current intimate relationship with recent IPV (i.e., past year) were less likely to begin treatment relative to women who reported past IPV only or no history of IPV. For women who began treatment, IPV exposure was not predictive of whether or not they completed treatment. Among women who began treatment, the frequency of IPV was associated with treatment outcome such that women who experienced more frequent IPV exhibited larger reductions in PTSD and depression symptoms over the course of treatment, but experienced similar levels of PTSD and depression severity at the 6-month follow-up. Findings highlight the importance of targeting treatment engagement among women who report recent IPV and suggest that women who have experienced frequent IPV respond well to CPT treatment in spite of their IPV experiences.     

A self-determination theory approach to problematic drinking and intimate partner violence

Problematic drinking has long been established as an important antecedent to the perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV). As little research has evaluated individual differences beyond anger in this association, this research examines problematic drinking and IPV perpetration through the lens of self-determination theory (SDT), the relational perspective suggesting individuals are motivated to be in their relationship for autonomous (i.e., self-driven) and controlled (i.e., guilt-driven) reasons. We test the hypothesis that problematic drinking is more strongly associated with IPV among those who are controlled in their motivation in four independent samples (N?=?617). College students in relationships completed measures of alcohol consumption, negative alcohol-related consequences, relationship motivation, and IPV perpetration. Results generally suggested that the association between both alcohol consumption and negative alcohol-related consequences and IPV perpetration is only significant among those endorsing greater controlled motivation. This study supports problematic drinking as not being an equal risk factor for all individuals, and suggests that some people may be more vulnerable to problematic drinking resulting in relationship aggression.     

Maternal parenting as a mediator of the relationship between intimate partner violence and effortful control

The current study examined the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV), maternal parenting behaviors, and child effortful control in a diverse sample of 705 families living in predominantly low-income, rural communities. Using structural equation modeling, the authors simultaneously tested whether observed sensitive parenting and/or harsh-intrusive parenting over the toddler years mediated the relationship between early IPV and later effortful control. Results suggest that parenting behaviors fully mediate this relationship. Although higher levels of IPV were associated with both higher levels of harsh-intrusive parenting and lower levels of sensitive supportive parenting, only sensitive supportive parenting was associated with later effortful control when both parenting indices were considered in the same model.     

The relative contribution of abuse severity and PTSD severity on the psychiatric and social morbidity of battered women in shelters

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a severe health problem associated with significant distress and impairment in women. The most common psychiatric difficulty in battered women is posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); however, no research to date has investigated the relative impact of the severity of IPV and IPV-related PTSD symptoms on battered women's psychosocial functioning. In a sample of 177 sheltered battered women, PTSD severity was associated with considerable psychiatric morbidity, social maladjustment, and personal and social resource loss. Moreover, PTSD severity mediated the relationship between IPV severity and psychiatric severity and loss of personal and social resources. Results highlight the need for the assessment and treatment of IPV-related PTSD in battered women's shelters.     

Female intimate partner violence perpetration: stability and predictors of mutual and nonmutual aggression across the first year of college

Cross-sectional and longitudinal predictors of mutual and nonmutual intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration were identified in a sample of female college freshmen (N = 499). Using female reports, couples were classified as to whether the relationship included no IPV, female-only IPV, or mutual IPV (male-only IPV was too rare to analyze). Mutual IPV was more common than asymmetrical IPV, and women in mutually violent relationships perpetrated more frequent acts of physical aggression than those in female-only violent relationships. In cross-sectional analyses of IPV in the first semester of college, only partner antisocial behavior and psychological aggression distinguished female-only IPV from no IPV; witnessing mother-to-father aggression, higher psychological aggression, more frequent partner marijuana use, partner antisocial behavior, and, surprisingly, higher relationship satisfaction, discriminated mutual IPV from no IPV. Contrary to hypothesis, first semester (T1) IPV did not predict having a new partner in the second semester (T2); however, women who reported more frequent heavy episodic drinking and lower relationship satisfaction at T1 were more likely to be in a different relationship at T2. Prospective prediction of T2 IPV category failed to support the hypothesis that female-only IPV would escalate to mutual IPV. The majority of couples with female-only IPV reported no IPV at T2. After accounting for T1 IPV, the only significant predictor of T2 IPV category was T1 psychological aggression, suggesting that this may be an appropriate target for IPV prevention efforts among college dating couples.     

Couples with Intimate Partner Violence Seeking Relationship Help: Associations and Implications for Self‐Help and Online Interventions

In‐person conjoint treatments for relationship distress are effective at increasing relationship satisfaction, and newly developed online programs are showing promising results. However, couples reporting even low levels intimate partner violence (IPV) are traditionally excluded from these interventions. To improve the availability of couple‐based treatment for couples with IPV, the present study sought to determine whether associations with IPV found in community samples generalized to couples seeking help for their relationship and whether web‐based interventions for relationship distressed worked equally well for couples with IPV. In the first aim, in a sample of 2,797 individuals who were seeking online help for their relationship, the levels and correlates of both low‐intensity and clinically significant IPV largely matched what is found in community samples. In the second aim, in a sample of 300 couples who were randomly assigned to a web‐based intervention or a waitlist control group, low‐impact IPV did not moderate the effects of the intervention for relationship distress. Therefore, web‐based interventions may be an effective (and easily accessible) intervention for relationship distress for couples with low‐intensity IPV.     

Adverse Childhood Experiences,Trauma Symptoms,Mindfulness, and Intimate Partner Violence: Therapeutic Implications for Marginalized Men

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and trauma symptoms have been linked with intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration and victimization among men, yet the field lacks depth in several key areas hampering progress toward violence intervention. Specifically, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) dominates the field’s scope of trauma symptoms under study, limiting understanding of other manifestations of trauma especially among men. Furthermore, most research focuses exclusively on men’s physical IPV perpetration and rarely focuses on other types of IPV, severity of violence, or men’s victimization. Also, few studies examine potential protective factors grounded in the ACE framework, such as mindfulness, among clinical populations. Finally, most research has not focused on men of color, despite some racial/ethnic minority groups disproportionate rates of IPV exposure. Therefore, the relationships between IPV frequency and severity (psychological, physical, injury) and ACEs, PTSD, trauma symptomology (separate from PTSD), and mindfulness self-efficacy were examined in a sample of 67 predominantly low-income men of color in a batterer intervention program. More than half of the sample (51.5%) reported exposure to four or more ACEs, and 31.1% met the clinical cutoff for a probable PTSD diagnosis. Higher ACE scores predicted increased rates for nearly all types of self-reported IPV perpetration and victimization. PTSD symptoms and complex trauma symptom severity together explained between 13% and 40% of IPV outcomes, and each was uniquely associated with certain types of self-reported IPV victimization and perpetration frequency and severity. Mindfulness self-efficacy was associated with decreased self-report psychological IPV perpetration and victimization frequency and severity. Clinical implications relevant to marginalized men are reviewed, including screening, training, and potential therapeutic interventions.     

Binge drinking and violence against intimate partners in Russia

This study is the first to provide information on the association between intimate partner violence (IPV) and binge drinking among Russian university students. Using data from 500 (58% female) university students from the four Russian sites of the International Dating Violence Study, we found gender differences in rates of IPV perpetration and in the association between binge drinking and IPV. Specifically, more females than males perpetrated IPV, and the associations between binge drinking and IPV were stronger for the female students than for the male students. In addition, antisocial traits and behavior (ATSB) were significantly related to both binge drinking and IPV perpetration for males and females. For males, the relatively weak associations between binge drinking and IPV perpetration disappeared once ASTB was accounted for. For females, the relationship decreased but remained significant when ATSB was statistically controlled. Path analyses confirmed that this pattern of relationships would be consistent with ATSB serving as a partial mediator between binge drinking and IPV perpetration. However, other alternative mediation and moderation models for the relationships between binge drinking, IPV perpetration, and ATSB could not be ruled out with this one-wave correlational study.