Advancing Couple and Family Alcohol Treatment Through Patient-Oriented Research and Mentorship

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health problem that results in significant health and economic burdens including mortality, morbidity, and poor treatment outcomes. A well-developed field of research suggests that alcohol misuse and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can lead to IPV. Individuals with PTSD and/or problematic drinking behaviors are at risk for IPV because of several factors that are common symptoms of PTSD. Because individuals with PTSD often drink alcohol to "self-medicate" or cope with distressing PTSD symptoms, PTSD co-occurs with alcohol misuse and alcohol use disorder at extraordinarily high rates. However, few studies have examined the combined effects of alcohol misuse and PTSD on any form of violence.

This study will examine the effects of alcohol misuse and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on alcohol-related intimate partner violence (IPV). We will examine these associations among couples (N=70) in a controlled laboratory setting using validated, standardized methods in a 'real-world' settings using 28 days of ecological momentary assessment (EMA).