Anderson, R. E., Bonar, E. E., Walton, M. A., Goldstick, J. E., Rauch, S. M., Epstein-Ngo, Q. M., & Chermack, S. T. (2017). A latent profile analysis of aggression and victimization across relationship types among veterans who use substances. Journal Of Studies On Alcohol And Drugs, 78(4), 597-607. doi:10.15288/jsad.2017.78.597

To provide effective violence prevention services for Veterans post-deployment, it is important to understand the nature of violence experienced by Veterans. This study investigated the patterns and forms of violence experienced by Veterans with both intimate partners and non-intimate partners. Using a sample of 839 Veterans who participated in a randomized control trial, findings indicated that a large majority of participants reported engagement in some form of violence and a majority of these incidents occurred with non-intimate partners.

https://doi.org/10.15288/jsad.2017.78.597

Substance use
Trauma
Veterans

Multiple branches

Veteran

Adulthood (18 yrs & older)

Clinical Trial
Empirical Study
Quantitative Study

Anderson, RaeAnn E., Bonar, Erin E., Walton, Maureen A., Goldstick, Jason E., Rauch, Sheila A. M., Epstein-Ngo, Quyen M., Chermack, Stephen T.

Objective: This study examined patterns of violence victimization and aggression in both intimate partner and nonpartner relationships among U.S. military veterans using latent profile analysis to identify subtypes of violence involvement. Method: Participants were 839 substance use treatment–seeking veterans (93% male) from a large Veterans Affairs Medical Center who completed screening measures for a randomized controlled trial. Results: Past-year violence involvement, including both intimate partner violence (IPV) and nonpartner violence (NPV), was common in the sample, although NPV occurred at somewhat higher rates. When we included either IPV or NPV aggression or victimization, more than 40% reported involvement with physical violence, 30% with violence involving injury, and 86% with psychological aggression. Latent profile analysis including both aggression and victimization in partner and nonpartner relationships indicated a four-profile solution: no/low violence (NLV; n = 377), predominantly IPV (n = 219), predominantly NPV (n = 134), and high general violence (HGV; n = 109). Multinomial logistic regression analyses revealed that, compared with the NLV group, the remaining three groups differed in age, cocaine use, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and legal involvement. Legal issues appeared to differentiate the profiles most, with the predominantly NPV and HGV profiles reporting more instances of driving under the influence and the HGV profile reporting legal problems related to aggression. Conclusions: IPV and NPV are fairly common among veterans seeking substance use treatment. The clinical characteristics of violence profiles indicate that cocaine use, PTSD symptoms, and legal involvement are treatment needs that vary with violence profile and may be useful for clinical decision making.

Alcohol Research Documentation

Article
REACH Publication

Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, REA
Addiction Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, EEB
Addiction Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, MAW
Injury Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan, JEG
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, SAMR
Injury Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan, QMEN
Mental Health Service, Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System, STC