The Interactive Effect of Alcohol Use and Depressive Symptoms in Predicting Couples’ Risk for Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration

• Published in: Journal of family violence Vol. 38; no. 5; pp. 883 - 889
• Main Authors: O’Hair, Cayla M., Grocott, Lauren R., McNulty, James K., Temple, Jeff R., Shorey, Ryan C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.07.2023; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Alcohol use; Averages; Clinical Psychology; Couples; Criminology and Criminal Justice; Depression, Mental; Domestic violence; Drinking of alcoholic beverages; Evaluation; Family violence; Health aspects; Interdependence; Intimate partner violence; Law and Psychology; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mental depression; Multiculturalism & pluralism; Original Article; Physical symptoms; Psychological aspects; Psychotherapy and Counseling; Quality of Life Research; Risk factors; Young adults; United States; Depressive symptoms; Couples; Intimate partner violence; Alcohol use
• ISSN: 0885-7482; 1573-2851
• DOI: 10.1007/s10896-022-00421-6

Purpose The prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) is alarmingly high among young adults. Alcohol use and depression have both been shown to increase risk for IPV. However, little is known about whether depression and alcohol may interact to predict IPV in couples. Methods The current study utilized a sample of 81 racially and ethnically diverse young adult couples (91.4% between the ages of 18–24) to examine alcohol use and depressive symptoms as predictors of physical, sexual, and psychological IPV perpetration. Data were analyzed following an Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) framework, allowing for the examination of both actor and partner effects. Results Results indicated that one’s own alcohol use was associated with an increase in one’s own psychological IPV perpetration, and one’s own depressive symptoms were associated with an increase in one’s own physical and psychological IPV perpetration. Although one’s partner’s alcohol use was associated with an increase in one’s own physical IPV perpetration on average, a marginally significant statistical interaction with one’s partner’s depression suggested this association was moderated, such that high levels of one’s partner’s depressive symptoms weakened the relationship between one’s partner’s alcohol use and one’s own physical IPV perpetration. Conclusions Findings provide novel information on when depressive symptoms may be a risk factor for IPV in young adult couples.