Kelley, M. L., Montano, H. G., Lam, N., Hernandez, M., Miller, M. M., & Workgroup, V. M. A. M. (2017). Modeling risk for intimate partner violence among recent-era veteran-partner dyads. Journal of Family Violence, 5(32), 505-512. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-016-9903-2

This study examines the association between post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), drug abuse, and partner violence on recent Veterans and their partners. Participants in this study included 49 Veteran-partner couples examined over a three year post-deployment period to investigate the relationship between Veterans' PTSS, Veterans' and partners' drug abuse symptoms (e.g., abuse of prescription drugs, drug induced blackouts, or flashbacks), and perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV). Findings of the study indicate that Veterans' PTSS is a good predictor of Veterans' drug abuse symptoms and that Veteran's drug abuse symptoms is strongly associated with Veterans' perpetration of intimate partner violence.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-016-9903-2

Couples
Deployment
Mental health
Physical health
Substance use
Veterans

Multiple branches

Spouse of service member or veteran
Veteran

Adulthood (18 yrs & older)

Quantitative Study
Longitudinal Study

Kelley, Michelle, Montano, Hilary, Lam, Nick, Hernandez, Monica, Miller, Marinell

Using an actor-partner interdependence model, we examined whether veterans' posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) contributed to partners' drug abuse symptoms, whether partners' drug abuse symptoms contributed to intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration, and whether drug abuse symptoms mediated PTSS-IPV perpetration associations. Participants were recent-era veterans who participated in the Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center Post-Deployment Mental Health study. Veterans who took part at one site and their partners ( N = 49 couples) completed a follow-up study in which drug abuse symptoms and IPV perpetration were assessed. Veterans' PTSS contributed to veterans' drug abuse symptoms. Veterans' drug abuse symptoms were associated with their IPV perpetration (i.e., an actor effect) and their partners' IPV perpetration (i.e., a crossover effect). Drug abuse symptoms mediated the association between veterans' PTSS and partners' reports of IPV perpetration. Findings suggest complex relationships between PTSS, drug abuse problems and IPV perpetration among these dyads.

Springer

Article
REACH Publication

Department of Psychology, Old Dominion University, MK
Hampton VA Medical Center, HM
Department of Psychology, Old Dominion University, NL
Hampton VA Medical Center, MH
Hampton VA Medical Center, MM