The role of illicit substance use in a conceptual model of intimate partner violence in men undergoing treatment for alcoholism

Illicit substance use (ISU) predicts intimate partner violence (IPV) above and beyond alcohol use and other known IPV correlates. Stuart and colleagues (2008) provided evidence for a theoretical framework by which ISU contributes both directly and indirectly to IPV. We sought to replicate and extend their findings using data from 181 married or cohabiting heterosexual couples in which the male had recently begun a substance abuse treatment program and met criteria for alcohol dependence (97%) or abuse (3%). Using SEM, we found that (a) Stuart et al.'s model provided a good fit to the data; (b) men's cocaine use and women's sedative use emerged as particularly relevant to their respective perpetration of IPV; (c) a positive association between men's antisociality and physical aggression was mediated by increased stimulant use; and (d) the specific pattern of IPV predicted by women's sedative use differed across levels of aggression severity. These findings not only highlight the direct role of ISU in relationship aggression, but also support a larger theory-driven model comprising various proximal and distal precursors of IPV.