Complex Relationship Between Daily Partner Violence and Alcohol Use Among Violent Heterosexual Men

Abstract

Although alcohol use and partner violence are consistently associated, the nature of the alcohol–violence relationship is still unclear. The purpose of this pilot study was to use longitudinal daily assessments of male partners’ alcohol use and violent events to identify the nature of the alcohol–violence relationship, employing both linear and nonlinear analyses. The participants were 20 adult heterosexual couples of whom the woman reported experiencing partner violence in the prior 30 days. Each partner provided a separate daily telephone report for 8 weeks via an automated interactive voice response (IVR), concerning the previous day’s violence, alcohol use, stressors, emotional reactions, and concerns for children. Individual IVR databases were merged to form a combined couple’s IVR time series. Time series were analyzed using graphic, linear, and nonlinear methods. Graphic analysis using state space grids found no consistent pattern across couples. Similarly, linear analysis using same-day cross-correlation and prior-day beta statistics found no significant group-level alcohol–violence relationship. Using cross-approximate entropy statistics and differential structural equation modeling, no nonlinear relationships between alcohol use and violence were noted either. Whether applying linear or nonlinear analytic methods, there is no group-level relationship between alcohol use by male perpetrators and their violent acts. The implications are significant. First, the alcohol–violence relationship may differ among subgroups. Second, couples need to be assessed thoroughly to determine their unique relationship with alcohol use, so that couple-specific interventions can be designed. Third, if perpetrators believe that their violence is facilitated by their alcohol use, then alcohol reduction should be encouraged despite any evidence suggesting a different alcohol–violence relationship. Finally, the accepted alcohol-causes-violence belief held by many providers needs to be reconsidered. Because the nature of the alcohol–violence relationship varies considerably across couples, clinicians should seek to understand their unique relationship applying across-the-board management approaches.

Same-Day Correlates and Prior-Day Predictors of Couples’ Violent Behaviors Based upon Partners’ Daily Reports

“…In fact, in previous studies focusing on daily violent events and alcohol use, inconsistent same-day or prior-day violence–alcohol relationships for him were also found. Recent analysis found no evidence for consistent linear or nonlinear alcohol–violence relationships across men (Katerndahl et al, 2020). Similarly, according to the literature, the nature of any alcohol–violence relationship for men is unclear.…”

Daily and situational reports of substance use and dating violence among college students: A 10-week prospective study

“…Research has supported the association between substance use and increased prevalence of dating violence; however, this relation is complex ( Katerndahl et al, 2020 ). In their meta-analysis, Crane, Godleski, Przybyla, Schlauch, and Testa (2016) found a significant, small effect ( d = 0.36, p < .001) between acute drinking and subsequent aggression against women in a laboratory study using an aggression paradigm.…”

Características Sociodemográficas Da Violência Interpessoal Associada Ao Consumo De Álcool

“…Em muitos casos, o consumo de álcool pode estar relacionado com a ação violenta, afetando inibições ou mecanismos individuais de controle dos impulsos violentos (5) . O abuso de bebidas alcoólicas pode encorajar comportamentos ofensivos, em maior ou menor grau.…”

“…O abuso de bebidas alcoólicas pode encorajar comportamentos ofensivos, em maior ou menor grau. Há evidências de que o uso do álcool pode suscitar sentimentos de poder e controle, além de reduzir a ansiedade e o medo (5)(6) .…”

“…Pesquisadores citam que o consumo excessivo do álcool atende a todos os critérios epidemiológicos de causalidade de violência, como a perpetrada contra o(a) parceiro(a) íntimo(a), criança ou idoso, podendo ser estendida para testemunhas ou terceiros (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6) . Entretanto, apesar de alguns casos de violência estarem relacionados ao álcool, ele pode não ser o único propulsor.…”