Sara R. Elkins

The temporal association between substance use and intimate partner violence among women arrested for domestic violence.

OBJECTIVE There is a paucity of research on the temporal association between substance use and intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration and victimization, especially among women arrested for domestic violence. The current study examined whether the probability of IPV perpetration and victimization increases following alcohol or drug use relative to days of no use among women arrested for domestic violence. METHOD Women arrested for domestic violence and court referred to batterer intervention programs who met criteria for hazardous drinking participated in the current study (N = 105). Women who reported drinking 4 or more drinks on 1 occasion at least once per month for the past 6 months were considered hazardous drinkers. Violence and substance use were assessed with the Timeline Followback Interviews for substance use and IPV. RESULTS Women were more likely to perpetrate physical violence on a drinking day (OR = 10.58; 95% CI [5.38, 20.79]) and on a heavy drinking day (OR = 12.81; 95% CI [8.10, 33.57]), relative to a nondrinking day. Women were more likely to be victimized by physical violence on a drinking day (OR = 5.22; 95% CI [2.79, 9.77]) and on a heavy drinking day (OR = 6.16; 95% CI [3.25, 11.68]), relative to a nondrinking day. They were more likely to be victims of sexual coercion (OR = 6.06; 95% CI [1.19, 30.80]) on a cocaine use day relative to a nonuse day. CONCLUSIONS Alcohol use was temporally associated with physical violence perpetration and victimization, and cocaine use was temporally associated with sexual coercion victimization, suggesting that substance use should be targeted in batterer intervention programs for women.

Gender Differences in Depression and Anxiety Among Victims of Intimate Partner Violence: The Moderating Effect of Shame Proneness:

The current study examined the moderating role of shame proneness on the association between physical, psychological, and sexual intimate partner violence victimization and depressive and anxious symptoms among male and female college students (N = 967). Students completed self-report measures of dating violence, depression, anxiety, and shame proneness. Results showed that shame proneness moderated the association between all forms of victimization and mental health symptoms. A three-way interaction revealed that sexual victimization predicted symptoms of anxiety to a greater extent for men than for women at high levels of shame proneness. Furthermore, results showed that gender moderated the association between physical and psychological victimization and health outcomes, such that victimization was related to increased depressive and anxious symptoms for men but not for women. Interpretations of these findings are discussed in relation to violence interventions, including primary prevention, and men’s health.

The effects of PTSD symptomatology on laboratory-based aggression.

The present study sought to examine the relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology and aggression using a highly controlled, quasi-experimental laboratory-based aggression paradigm among a sample of 85 undergraduate students not help-seeking for current PTSD phenomena. Congruent with theory and past research, results showed that PTSD symptomatology was positively associated with aggression. In demonstrating this effect using a laboratory-based methodology, the present study provides a heuristic for future researchers to explore potential mediators and moderators of the PTSD-aggression relationship.

A Time-Series Study of the Treatment of Panic Disorder

Although efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in the treatment of panic disorder has been well documented, far fewer studies have investigated treatment outcome for panic disorder among real-world patients with a range of complicating factors. The current study employed a time-series approach to examine the effectiveness of CBT for panic disorder for a patient who sought services at a university psychology clinic. Following a 16-session CBT treatment protocol, the patient demonstrated significant decreases in self-reported distress, anxiety and panic symptoms, and worry about having a panic attack. Several qualitative changes were also notable following termination, including decreased tobacco and psychiatric medication usage as well as decreased comorbid depressive symptoms and agoraphobia behaviors. Outcomes were maintained 9 months post treatment. This study supports effectiveness of implementing a CBT approach to the treatment of panic disorder with agoraphobia among complex patients. Treatment implications and applications are discussed.

Bidirectional effects of parenting and youth substance use during the transition to middle and high school.

The current study assessed bidirectional relationships between supportive parenting behaviors (i.e., involvement, positive parenting), parental control strategies (i.e., parental monitoring, effective discipline), and youth substance use in a sample of aggressive youth during the transitions to middle and high school. Participants were drawn from the control group of a larger longitudinal study and were followed from 4th through 9th grade. Cross-lagged developmental models were evaluated using structural equation modeling. Youth substance use at 6th, 7th, and 8th grade influenced positive parenting at 7th, 8th, and 9th grade, but did not influence parental involvement or monitoring at any grade. Parental involvement, monitoring, and positive parenting at earlier grades did not influence youth substance use at later grades. Reciprocal relationships were observed between effective discipline and youth substance use at all grades. Results are consistent with models of bidirectionality that suggest that parents and children adjust their behavior based on the response of the other. Findings may impact our understanding of the development of youth substance use across time and improve interventions designed to reduce this behavior during periods of transition.