Latent class analysis was used to examine patterns of victimization among a community sample of 212 women experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV). Results identified three classes of women characterized by victimization history (recent IPV, childhood victimization); classes were further differentiated by IPV-related PTSD symptoms, other indicators of psychological distress, and substance use. Differentiating levels of victimization and their associated patterns of psychosocial functioning can be used to develop intervention strategies targeting the needs of different subgroups of women so that mental health and substance use problems can be reduced or prevented altogether. Implications for treatment and future research are presented.

This study tests the feasibility, safety, and short-term preliminary effects of a relapse prevention and relationship safety (RPRS) intervention in reducing drug use and the experience of intimate partner violence (IPV) among women on methadone. For this randomized controlled trial, 34 women who met IPV and drug use criteria were randomly assigned to either the RPRS condition (n = 16) or a one-session informational control (IC) condition (n = 18). RPRS participants were more likely than IC participants to report a decrease in minor physical or sexual IPV (OR = 7.1, p = .05), minor psychological IPV (OR = 5.3, p = .03) and severe psychological IPV (OR = 6.07, p = .03) at the 3-month follow-up. Data suggest that RPRS participants were also more likely than IC participants to report a decrease in any drug use at 3 months (OR = 3.3, p = .08). This study provides preliminary evidence that the RPRS intervention is effective in reducing IPV and drug use among women on methadone.

We tested a hypothesis about the usefulness of attachment theory in aiding our understanding of substance use and related problem behaviors among a high-risk group of women. The data were from an ongoing longitudinal study of pregnant and parenting adolescents, and were collected via interview at 5.5 and 6 years postpartum (n = 232). At enrollment, the respondents were an average age of 16. Using regressing analysis (OLS and logistic), differences in attachment security were found to be related to substance use and related problem behaviors and attachment differences in behavior were found to be partially mediated by psychological distress. KEY WORDS: substance use; risk behavior; attachment; young women; adolescent pregnancy. Adolescent mothers are a heterogeneous group and studies investigating adolescent mothers vary widely in sample composition (Brooks-Gunn & ChaseLansdale, 1995). However, adolescent mothers may be disproportionately represented at the intersection of insecure adult attachment and a variety of youth problem behaviors. Aggressive girls and those with other manifestations of conduct disorder are at greater risk for early pregnancy than other girls (Bardone,

This research addressed two research questions: (a) controlling for crack use, what are the factors associated with women's engagement in ever having traded sex? and (b) controlling for crack use, what are the factors associated with women's engagement in sex trading in the past 90 days? The sample included 149 sexually active, crack using women selected from a subsample of participants in the Kentucky NIDA AIDS Cooperative Agreement. Bivariate analyses indicated that in addition to the pattern of crack use, 13 of the candidate variables were significantly related to sex trading, ever and 11 related to sex trading in the past 90 days. The multivariate models accounted for more than 40% of the variance in sex trading, ever and almost 59% of the variance in sex trading over the past 90 days. Suggestions for HIV/AIDS prevention and intervention among drug-involved women are discussed; implications for future research are suggested.

Victimized women within the criminal justice system are an important group and understanding their substance use is critical. Substance use was examined among 406 victimized women on probation and parole in an urban community from 2010 to 2013. Ninety-three percent reported lifetime use of an illicit substance, while 58% and 45% reported use of at least one illicit substance in the past two years and 12 months, respectively. Among probationers, having been in a controlled environment was associated with a higher prevalence of illicit substance use as compared to parolees. Implications for practice, policy and future research are discussed.

The theory of reasoned action (TRA) is used to model decisions about substance use among young mothers who became premaritally pregnant at age 17 or younger. The results of structural equation modeling to test the TRA indicated that most relationships specified by the model were significant and in the predicted direction. Attitude was a stronger predictor of intention than norm, but both were significantly related to intention, and intention was related to actual marijuana use 6 months later. Outcome beliefs were bidimensional, and positive outcome beliefs, but not negative beliefs, were significantly related to attitude. Prior marijuana use was only partially mediated by the TRA variables; it also was directly related to intentions to use marijuana and to subsequent use.

This study tests the feasibility, safety, and short-term preliminary effects of a relapse prevention and relationship safety (RPRS) intervention in reducing drug use and the experience of intimate partner violence (IPV) among women on methadone. For this randomized controlled trial, 34 women who met IPV and drug use criteria were randomly assigned to either the RPRS condition (n = 16) or a one-session informational control (IC) condition (n = 18). RPRS participants were more likely than IC participants to report a decrease in minor physical or sexual IPV (OR = 7.1, p = .05), minor psychological IPV (OR = 5.3, p = .03) and severe psychological IPV (OR = 6.07, p = .03) at the 3-month follow-up. Data suggest that RPRS participants were also more likely than IC participants to report a decrease in any drug use at 3 months (OR = 3.3, p = .08). This study provides preliminary evidence that the RPRS intervention is effective in reducing IPV and drug use among women on methadone.

This research addressed two questions: (a) What is the relationship between different patterns of cumulative victimization and psychological distress? And (b) How does the pattern of cumulative victimization and psychological distress influence women's engagement in substance- and sex-related risk behavior? Data were analyzed from interviews with 149 sexually active, crack-using women who completed a follow-up interview after participating in the Kentucky National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) AIDS Cooperative Agreement. Findings from the multivariate analyses indicated that victimization accounted for 5% and 39% of the variance in psychological distress and high-risk behavior, respectively; cumulative victimization and psychological distress accounted for 6% to 11% of the variance in the high-risk behaviors. Results highlight the affects of childhood and adult victimization on psychological distress and the associations between different types of psychological distress and risk behavior.