Anger, hostility, internalizing negative emotions, and intimate partner violence perpetration: A meta-analytic review

Psychometric properties of the Mexican version of the Driver's Angry Thoughts Questionnaire and analysis of invariance with the Romanian and Spanish versions

Research has shown the relevance of three axes in the study of violent behaviour: the emotional axis (anger), the behavioural axis (aggression), and the cognitive axis (hostility or aggressive thinking). In the field of driving, the first two axes have received a lot of attention, whereas the third one has been less studied. The current research aimed to analyse the psychometric properties of the Driver's Angry Thoughts Questionnaire (DATQ) in a Mexican sample. Besides, the structural invariance of this instruments was analysed with respect to both the Spanish and the Romanian versions. A sample of 294 participants taken from the general Mexican drivers population completed a set of measures including the DATQ and the Driving Survey, as a measure of risky driving, aggressive driving, and crash-related events. The results showed that the Mexican version of the DATQ replied the original five-factor structure, maintaining the 65 items likewise in both the Spanish and Romanian versions. Analyses of the invariance suggested the equivalence among the three versions, especially in the case of Mexican-Spanish. Moreover, the five factors were positive and mostly significantly related to each other, and with both risky driving and aggressive driving. Some significant relationships were attained also with crash-related events, especially in the case of those which happened in the last three months (short-termed). Finally, males showed higher scores than females in the five ways of aggressive thinking. Limitations of the study, practical implications and future research are discussed.

Examining Depression Among Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Homicide

Male depression has been recognized as an important factor in some cases of intimate partner violence but there is a paucity of literature connecting depression and intimate partner homicide (IPH). This retrospective study provides a preliminary analysis that distinguished depressed from nondepressed perpetrators of IPH from a sample of 135 cases analyzed by a coroner's homicide death review committee in Ontario, Canada. Depressed perpetrators were more likely to commit homicide-suicide and had almost 1.5 times the number of risk factors present than nondepressed perpetrators. Consistent with the existing literature, the results indicated that depressed perpetrators were significantly older, more likely to commit homicide-suicide than homicide only, more likely to have prior threats or attempts of suicide, more likely to have been abused or witnessed domestic violence as a child than nondepressed perpetrators and more likely to exhibit sexual jealousy. The implications for these findings are outlined in terms of training of mental health professionals and public awareness about the potential lethality of domestic violence.

Evaluating the effects of two alcohol reduction counseling interventions on intimate partner violence perpetration: secondary analysis of a three-arm randomized controlled trial among Vietnamese men with HIV

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Evidence suggests that alcohol reduction interventions decrease intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration, although this remains untested in low- and middle-income countries and among men with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This study evaluates the effectiveness of alcohol reduction counseling interventions on IPV perpetration among men on anti-retroviral therapy (ART) and tests whether alcohol use explains the intervention effects.

DESIGN

Secondary analysis of data from a three-arm randomized controlled trial among ART patients with hazardous alcohol use. Participants were recruited from March 2016 to May 2017.

SETTING

Thai Nguyen, Vietnam.

PARTICIPANTS, INTERVENTIONS AND COMPARATORS

Male participants (n = 426). Participants received a two-session brief intervention (BI), a six-session combined intervention (CoI) or the standard of care (SOC), comprising alcohol treatment referrals. Alcohol reduction counseling interventions were guided by cognitive-behavioral therapy and motivational enhancement therapy delivered by psychosocial counselors over 3 months.

MEASUREMENTS

IPV perpetration was measured using the shortened Conflict Tactics Scale 2 and alcohol use was measured using timeline followback.

FINDINGS

BI and CoI participants reported reduced IPV perpetration at 3 months compared with SOC participants [BI: adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.11, 0.65; CoI: aOR = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.22, 1.13]; the association was only significant for the BI group. Intervention effects were not sustained at 6 and 12 months. There was little evidence that alcohol use acted as a mediator (indirect effect, BI: aOR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.63, 1.04; indirect effect, CoI: aOR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.66, 1.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Among Vietnamese men receiving anti-retroviral therapy, alcohol reduction counseling interventions appeared to reduce intimate partner violence perpetration immediately post-intervention, but reductions were not sustained at 6 and 12 months and were not explained by alcohol reduction.

Intimate Partner Violence in Adolescence: Associations With Perpetration Trauma, Rumination, and Posttraumatic Stress

Engagement in intimate partner violence (IPV) is related to a host of negative outcomes for youth, including posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Moreover, research indicates that the perpetration of violence may constitute a traumatic experience, termed perpetration trauma (PT), which, in turn, is related to elevated levels of PTSS. Little research to date, however, has illuminated the underlying processes that may link IPV perpetration, PT, and PTSS. One potential contributor to this association is rumination on negative emotions. In particular, for youth who report PT and rumination, engaging in IPV may be associated with elevations in PTSS. To investigate this hypothesis, data were gathered from a sample of 235 justice-involved youth (184 boys, 51 girls) who completed self-report measures of IPV perpetration and victimization, PT, sadness and anger rumination, and PTSS. Results of moderated mediational analyses indicated that IPV perpetration was related to PTSS through sadness rumination, and that these effects were stronger when youth endorsed PT. In turn, IPV perpetration was related to PTSS through anger rumination only when youth did not endorse PT. In addition, tests of alternative models indicated that these results were specific to IPV perpetration, given that IPV victimization was not related to PTSS through anger or sadness rumination when youth endorsed PT. These results suggest that the combination of rumination on sadness and endorsement of PT may put youth who perpetrate IPV at the greatest risk of PTSS. Therefore, interventions seeking to interrupt the cycle of IPV perpetration may benefit from targeting perpetrators' sadness rumination, PT, and PTSS.

A multi-country test of brief reappraisal interventions on emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased negative emotions and decreased positive emotions globally. Left unchecked, these emotional changes might have a wide array of adverse impacts. To reduce negative emotions and increase positive emotions, we tested the effectiveness of reappraisal, an emotion-regulation strategy that modifies how one thinks about a situation. Participants from 87 countries and regions (n = 21,644) were randomly assigned to one of two brief reappraisal interventions (reconstrual or repurposing) or one of two control conditions (active or passive). Results revealed that both reappraisal interventions (vesus both control conditions) consistently reduced negative emotions and increased positive emotions across different measures. Reconstrual and repurposing interventions had similar effects. Importantly, planned exploratory analyses indicated that reappraisal interventions did not reduce intentions to practice preventive health behaviours. The findings demonstrate the viability of creating scalable, low-cost interventions for use around the world. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: The stage 1 protocol for this Registered Report was accepted in principle on 12 May 2020. The protocol, as accepted by the journal, can be found at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4878591.v1.

Punishment on Pause: Preliminary Evidence That Mindfulness Training Modifies Neural Responses in a Reactive Aggression Task

Reactive aggression, a hostile retaliatory response to perceived threat, has been attributed to failures in emotion regulation. Interventions for reactive aggression have largely focused on cognitive control training, which target top-down emotion regulation mechanisms to inhibit aggressive impulses. Recent theory suggests that mindfulness training (MT) improves emotion regulation via both top-down and bottom-up neural mechanisms and has thus been proposed as an alternative treatment for aggression. Using this framework, the current pilot study examined how MT impacts functional brain physiology in the regulation of reactive aggression. Participants were randomly assigned to 2 weeks of MT (n = 11) or structurally equivalent active coping training (CT) that emphasizes cognitive control (n = 12). Following training, participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a retaliatory aggression task, a 16-trial game in which participants could respond to provocation by choosing whether or not to retaliate in the next round. Training groups did not differ in levels of aggression displayed. However, participants assigned to MT exhibited enhanced ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) recruitment during punishment events (i.e., the aversive consequence of losing) relative to those receiving active CT. Conversely, the active coping group demonstrated greater dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) activation when deciding how much to retaliate, in line with a bolstered top-down behavior monitoring function. The findings suggest that mindfulness and cognitive control training may regulate aggression via different neural circuits and at different temporal stages of the provocation-aggression cycle. Trial Registration: identification no. NCT03485807.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Adulthood Negotiation in Intimate Partner Violence: The Sequentially Paradoxical Role of Interpersonal Sensitivity Among Female Inmates

The present study examined interpersonal sensitivity and hostility as separate and sequential mediators in the association between adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and the conflict tactic of negotiation (e.g., a strategy utilized to resolve conflict with a romantic partner) among female inmates. Participants were 258 female inmates recruited from three Southern California jails. After statistically controlling for partner-negotiation, results from a sequential mediation model revealed that the association between ACE and negotiation was mediated through three separate pathways. The first single mediational pathway indicated that ACE was positively associated with interpersonal sensitivity, which in turn had a positive association with negotiation. The second single mediational pathway revealed that ACE was positively associated with hostility, which in turn had a negative association with negotiation. Finally, the sequential meditational path revealed that interpersonal sensitivity through hostility mediated the ACE and negotiation relationship. The present results suggest that ACE may result in increased interpersonal sensitivity, which may paradoxically result in both more and less negotiation with romantic partners. That is, ACE through interpersonal sensitivity alone may result in more negotiation, and ACE through interpersonal sensitivity and then hostility may result in less negotiation with romantic partners. We explicate how the psychopathological construct of interpersonal sensitivity may lead to increased and decreased rates of the positively construed conflict tacit of negotiation. In addition, the present findings are discussed in light of the high rates of both revictimization and perpetration of violence among female inmates.

Relationship Dissatisfaction, Emotion Regulation, and Physical Intimate Partner Aggression in Heavy-Drinking, Conflict-Prone Couples: A Dyadic Analysis

Relationship dissatisfaction is a known risk factor for intimate partner aggression (IPA). However, the possible effect of weak emotion regulation skills on this association is unclear, particularly in couples at risk for violence who drink alcohol heavily. This study examined the moderating effect of emotion regulation on the association between relationship dissatisfaction and physical IPA perpetration within a dyadic framework. Participants were 583 heavy drinking couples (N = 1,166) with a recent history of psychological and/or physical IPA recruited from two metropolitan cities in the United States. Multilevel models were used to examine effects within an actor-partner interdependence framework. Gender, Actor dissatisfaction, and Actor and Partner emotion regulation were associated with greater physical IPA perpetration. Actor relationship dissatisfaction predicted significantly greater physical IPA perpetration in Actors characterized by weak versus strong emotion regulation. Furthermore, partner relationship dissatisfaction predicted significantly increased physical IPA perpetration in Actors reporting weak, versus strong, emotion regulation. Gender did not significantly interact with model variables. Utilizing the I3 metatheoretical model of IPA within a dyadic framework, results provide insight into the interactive effects of relationship dissatisfaction and emotion regulation deficits on physical IPA perpetration, particularly in those individuals already at risk for perpetration.

Cognitive and Affective Mediators of Alcohol-Facilitated Intimate Partner Aggression

This multisite study examined whether aggressive cognitions and facial displays of negative affect and anger experienced during provocation mediated the association between alcohol intoxication and intimate partner aggression (IPA). Participants were 249 heavy drinkers (148 men, 101 women) with a recent history of IPA perpetration. Participants were randomly assigned to an Alcohol or No-Alcohol Control beverage condition and completed a shock-based aggression task involving apparent provocation by their intimate partner. During provocation, a hidden camera recorded participants' facial expressions and verbal articulations, which were later coded using the Facial Action Coding System and the Articulated Thoughts in Simulated Situations paradigm. Results indicated that the positive association between alcohol intoxication and partner-directed physical aggression was mediated by participants' aggressive cognitions, but not by negative affect or anger facial expressions. These findings implicate aggressogenic cognitions as a mediating mechanism underlying the association between the acute effects of alcohol and IPA perpetration.

Readiness to Change as a Predictor of Treatment Engagement and Outcome for Partner Violent Men

Resistance to change has been long recognized as a barrier to successful intervention for partner violent individuals. Using archival data from a community-based intimate partner violence (IPV) intervention program, the current study investigated readiness to change as a predictor of treatment engagement and outcome in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for IPV, and examined whether court referral status, antisocial personality characteristics, and borderline personality characteristics moderate these associations. During program intake, male IPV perpetrators (N = 195) provided structured interview data on demographics and referral source, and self-report data on readiness to change, borderline personality traits, and antisocial personality traits. During group CBT, participants and their therapists completed measures of the working alliance, and the therapists completed ratings of compliance with behavior change homework assignments. Criminal recidivism data were gathered from public records for 2 years after scheduled completion of treatment. Readiness to change significantly predicted client ratings of the working alliance, but not therapist ratings of the working alliance, CBT homework compliance, or criminal recidivism. Court referral status moderated predictive associations between readiness to change and working alliance ratings, and borderline and antisocial characteristics moderated predictive associations between readiness to change and working alliance as well as criminal recidivism. Interestingly, readiness to change is a stronger predictor of positive treatment response for court- versus self-referred individuals and for those with either very low or very high levels of borderline and antisocial characteristics. Hence, strategies to enhance motivation to change may be particularly be important for IPV perpetrators with these characteristics.

Violence, Adolescence, and Canadian Religious Communities: A Quantitative Study

Exposure to violence is recognized as a major health concern among adolescent populations. The evidence base that links religious involvement with risks for child violence is inconsistent. In a national analysis involving a weighted sample of 24,307 young people, we studied the perpetration of violence (fighting and bullying), as well as victimization by violence (bullying only), among young people who were affiliated with religious groups. One in four young Canadians reported involvement in such groups. Study findings confirmed some unique patterns among this group. First, these religiously involved children reported the same or greater levels of perpetration of violence than other children. Second, religiously involved children reported the same or greater levels of experiencing victimization from violence. Third, religious involvement appeared to protect against engagement in certain overt risk-taking behaviors, but not violence. These patterns were consistent even after adjustment for family, community, socioeconomic, and school-related determinants. If religious communities are to fulfill mandates that foster the protection and nurturing of children into healthy relationships, violence is best addressed using evidence-based strategies. Development of such effective preventive strategies requires the incorporation of contemporary evidence about the distribution, determinants, and possible effects of violence in such groups. Findings from our study suggest that a silence around the issue of violence may in fact be true in the context of some Canadian religious communities. Yet, if these communities make an intentional commitment to protecting children from violence and promoting healthy relationships, and are willing to learn from evidence-based practices that have shown to protect children from participating in and experiencing violent and victim behaviors, perhaps these disturbing trends could be reversed. This message is germane for all levels of leadership in Canadian religious communities.

Personality, Schizophrenia, and Violence: A Longitudinal Study: The Second Wave of the VIORMED Project

This study investigated the association between maladaptive personality traits, personality disorders (PDs), schizophrenia, and the risk of aggressive behavior. Ninety-four patients with a history of violence and 92 patients with no history of violence underwent a multidimensional baseline assessment. Aggressive behavior was monitored during a 1-year follow-up through the Modified Overt Aggression Scale. The Violent group scored significantly higher than the Control group on the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI-III) Antisocial, Sadistic, Borderline, and Paranoid personality scales. Irrespective of any history of violence, patients with PD as a primary diagnosis displayed more aggressive behaviors than those with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia during the follow-up. Furthermore, the most significant predictor of aggressive behaviors over time was endorsing a primary diagnosis of PD. Identifying the crucial risk factors for violent recidivism would contribute to reducing aggressive behavior in this population.

Intimate Partner Violence Victimization and Perpetration in a Turkish Female Sample: Rejection Sensitivity and Hostility

Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is one of the most alarming social problems all over the world. Recently, IPV research focuses on the bidirectional nature of the phenomenon, which underlines that both women and men can equally be victims and perpetrators of IPV, especially in community samples. The cycle of violence theory asserts that child abuse and neglect (CAN) is a vulnerability factor for being both a victim and perpetrator of IPV while developmental mechanisms perspective assesses mediators explaining this association. The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether CAN and each type of CAN (emotional maltreatment, physical abuse and neglect, and sexual abuse) would be associated with victimization of and perpetration by women via the multiple mediator roles of rejection sensitivity and hostility after controlling for co-occurring CAN types. The sample (N = 288) included Turkish women who were currently married or in a romantic relationship or in one of these statutes in the past year. Participants were recruited via online survey to fill out the related questionnaires. The results of Bootstrap analyses showed that the total CAN scores were associated with being a victim and perpetrator of IPV in the past year. Rejection sensitivity mediated the association between CAN and being a victim of IPV while hostility was a mediator between CAN and perpetration of IPV. Childhood emotional maltreatment (CEM) was the only trauma type which predicted victimization by rejection sensitivity and perpetration by hostility above and beyond the effects of co-occurring trauma types. The present study findings contributed to the growing literature that women exposed to childhood traumas can also be perpetrators of violence that was a demonstrated risk factor for the repeated victimization. Results implied that developmental and process variables should be taken into account rather than a strict gendered analysis of IPV in research and clinical practice.

Anhedonia and the Relationship Between Other Depressive Symptoms and Aggressive Behavior

Depression has been linked to multiple forms of aggressive behavior in college students; however, it is unclear which aspects of depression explain this connection. Anhedonia, defined as the loss of interest and/or pleasure in previously enjoyed activities, may provide unique information about relationships between depression and aggression. Using cross-sectional data from two independent samples of college students (N = 747 and N = 736 for Study 1 and Study 2, respectively), we examined whether anhedonia helped explain the relationship between broader depressive symptoms and different forms of aggressive and antisocial behavior. Anhedonia accounted for variance in both self-directed aggression and antisocial behavior independent of gender, hostility, anger, other depressive symptoms, and cognitive distortions (Study 2). In addition, there were significant indirect effects of depressive symptoms on self-directed aggression (Studies 1 and 2) and antisocial behavior (Study 2) via anhedonia. Hypotheses involving other-directed aggression received mixed support, with anhedonia atemporally associated with other-directed aggression independent of broader depressive symptoms in Study 1, but not in Study 2. The current findings suggest that anhedonia is an important individual difference that helps explain the relationship between depression and aggressive and antisocial acts and that anhedonia may be differentially associated with various types of aggressive and antisocial behavior.

Effects of an Extracurricular Anger Self-Control Program for Nursing Students

Nursing students often experience anger in response to stress and suppress their anger instead of actively controlling it. Therefore, the anger self-control programs that can manage nursing students' anger level and dysfunctional anger expression are needed. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of an anger self-control program on trait anger, anger expression style, grateful disposition, and depression among nursing students. The study used a quasi-experimental study with a nonequivalent control group and a non-synchronized design. Participants were 29 nursing students who were assigned to intervention and control groups. Compared to the control group, the intervention group showed significantly decreased mean scores for the trait anger, anger-in, and anger-out anger expression styles, and increased mean scores for the anger-control anger expression style and grateful disposition. Anger self-control programs might be usefully applied as extracurricular anger-management programs for nursing students.

Alcohol, Trait Anger, and Psychological Flexibility: A Laboratory Investigation of Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration

The I³ Model is a meta-theoretical framework that posits intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration is the product of three interactive factors: instigators, impellors, and inhibitors. The present study examined the effects of trait anger (an impellor), psychological flexibility (a disimpellor), and alcohol intoxication (a disinhibitor) on IPV perpetration. Participants were 249 heavy drinkers (41% female) who had perpetrated IPV toward their current partner in the past year. Participants completed self-report measures of trait anger and psychological flexibility, were randomly assigned to consume an alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage, and then engaged in the Taylor Aggression Paradigm (Taylor, 1967) ostensibly against their current partner. Analyses detected a small-to-medium effect for two separate two-way interactions. First, a significant Beverage x Psychological Flexibility interaction was detected. Consistent with the I³ Model, explication analyses revealed that alcohol intoxication predicted higher levels of IPV perpetration in those who reported low, but not high, psychological flexibility (i.e., low disimpellance). Second, although the Beverage x Trait Anger interaction was non-significant, explication analyses revealed that alcohol intoxication predicted higher levels of IPV perpetration among those who reported low, but not high, trait anger (i.e., low impellance). These results have several potential treatment implications among alcohol-consuming clients.

The effectiveness of interventions to prevent recidivism in perpetrators of intimate partner violence: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Previous reviews of interventions to prevent recidivistic intimate partner violence (IPV) have cited minimal benefits and have been critical of interventions adopting a 'one-size-fits-all' approach to a heterogenous category of offenders. The present systematic review and meta-analysis assesses evidence for interventions situated in a risk-need-responsivity framework, in comparison with the more traditional 'one-size-fits-all' intervention approach.

METHOD

Six databases (PsycINFO, Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, SCOPUS, PILOTS) were searched for studies examining effectiveness of IPV interventions.

RESULTS

Thirty-one studies met the inclusion criteria. Studies were analysed separately depending on whether they compared two treatments (n = 17) or used a no-treatment control group (n = 14). In the meta-analysis, overall effect sizes were OR = 0.52, 95% CI [0.35-0.78] for interventions with follow-up of ≤ one year (p < 0.001) and OR = 0.60, 95% CI [0.46-0.78] for interventions with follow-up between one and two years (p < 0.001). The pooled effects from the studies using follow-up of greater than two years did not reach statistical significance. Subgroup analyses suggested that effect sizes differed across treatment types, with risk-need-responsivity treatments performing well against other modalities.

CONCLUSIONS

Risk-need-responsivity treatments showed promise in the short-to-medium term, but the challenge of sustaining effects into the longer term remains.

Borderline Personality Features, Anger, and Intimate Partner Violence: An Experimental Manipulation of Rejection

Individuals with borderline personality features may be susceptible to react to situational stressors with negative and interpersonally maladaptive emotionality (e.g., anger) and aggression. The current study attempted to test two moderated mediation models to investigate dispositional risk factors associated with borderline personality features and intimate partner violence (IPV). Results from an experimental rejection induction paradigm were examined using moderated regression to observe contextual reactions to imagined romantic rejection from a current romantic partner among individuals with borderline personality features. An ethnically diverse sample of 218 undergraduates at a large public university in the southwestern United States was recruited. Participants responded to demographic questions and self-report measures, and engaged in an experimental rejection induction paradigm. Borderline personality features was positively associated with rejection sensitivity, physical assault, and psychological aggression. Contrary to initial hypotheses, rejection sensitivity did not serve as a mediator of the relations between borderline personality features and physical assault and psychological aggression. However, trait anger mediated the relation between borderline personality features and psychological aggression. As such, trait anger may be an important explanatory variable in the relation between borderline personality features and psychological aggression specifically. Results of the rejection induction paradigm indicated that, for individuals who were asked to imagine an ambiguous rejection, the relation between borderline personality features and state anger post-rejection was strengthened. For individuals who imagined a critical rejection, there was no significant relation between borderline personality features and state anger post-rejection. Findings suggest that trait anger may be an important dispositional factor in the link between borderline personality features and IPV. In addition, contextual factors, such as ambiguous rejection by an intimate partner, may be especially relevant in activating anger or aggression in individuals with borderline personality features.

A Latent Class Analysis of Early Adolescent Peer and Dating Violence: Associations With Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety

Violence within peer and dating contexts is prevalent among early adolescents. Youth may be victims and/or aggressors and be involved in violence across multiple contexts, resulting in negative outcomes. This study identified patterns of perpetration and victimization for peer and dating violence, using a latent class analysis (LCA), and examined how different patterns of engaging in or experiencing violence among early adolescents were associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety. Participants included a sample of 508 racially and ethnically diverse youth (51% male) who had dated in the past 3 months. Youth were in the seventh grade within 37 schools and were primarily from economically disadvantaged communities across four sites in the United States. LCA identified three classes: (a) a low involvement in violence class, (b) a peer aggression and peer victimization class, and (c) a peer and dating violence class. Youth involved with multiple forms of violence displayed significantly higher levels of depressive and anxious symptoms than those with low involvement in violence. Study findings revealed the importance of understanding how peer and dating violence co-occur, and how different patterns of aggression and victimization were related to internalizing symptoms. Prevention efforts should address the intersection of victimization and perpetration in peer and dating contexts in potentially reducing internalizing symptoms among early adolescents.

Pathways From Family Violence to Adolescent Violence: Examining the Mediating Mechanisms

PURPOSE

Past research has documented a significant relationship between family violence and adolescent violence. However, much is unknown about the processes through which this association occurs, especially in the non-Western cultural context. To address this gap, we propose an integrated model encompassing multiple pathways that connect family violence to adolescent violence. Specifically, this study investigates how family violence is related to adolescent violence through violent peer association, normative beliefs about violence, and negative emotions.

METHOD

We tested the model using the two-wave survey data collected from a probability sample of more than 1,100 adolescents residing in one of the largest metropolitan areas in China in 2015 to 2016.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

The results indicated that family violence predicted adolescent violence perpetration. Violent peer association, normative beliefs, and negative emotions, however, mediated much of the relationship between family violence and adolescent violence.

How domestically violent Fathers impact children's social-emotional development: Fathers' psychological functioning, parenting, and coparenting

BACKGROUND

Most children exposed to father-perpetrated domestic violence (DV) continue to have contact or live with fathers, yet there is little research on the impact of fathering in the context of domestic violence.

OBJECTIVE

This paper aimed to identify pathways from children's exposure to father-perpetrated DV to compromised social-emotional outcomes. Based on extant literature on fathering and domestic violence, psychological, parenting, and coparenting features in DV fathers were identified as potential mediators of the relationship between child exposure to DV and their social-emotional outcomes.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

Participants were 123 fathers with confirmed histories of DV perpetration and 101 comparison fathers without such histories.

METHODS

Fathers completed self-report measures during two assessment sessions held at the university. Simple mediation analyses were used to examine pathways between fathers' DV perpetration and child internalizing and externalizing difficulties through potential mediators.

RESULTS

Paternal depression, hostility, and coparenting difficulties significantly mediated the relationship between child exposure to DV and child internalizing and externalizing difficulties. Low paternal warmth was associated with child externalizing difficulties but did not function as a mediator. Paternal over-reactivity and laxness, in contrast, were not significantly correlated with DV perpetration or with child internalizing or externalizing outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that fathers' emotion regulation and coparenting difficulties are important correlates of his DV perpetration and of their children's psychological symptoms and should be considered as potential foci for parenting intervention with this population.

School Violence towards Peers and Teen Dating Violence: The Mediating Role of Personal Distress

School violence towards peers and teen dating violence are two of the most relevant behaviour problems in adolescents. Although the relationship between the two types of violence is well established in the literature, few studies have focused on mediators that could explain this empirical relationship. We departed from the evidence that relates anger, emotional distress and impaired empathy to teen dating violence and juvenile sexual offending, to explore the role of personal distress, i.e., a self-focused, aversive affective reaction to another's emotion associated with the desire to alleviate one's own, but not the other's distress; as a possible mechanism linking school violence towards peers and teen dating violence in a sample of Spanish adolescents. We also explored the prevalence of emotional and physical teen dating violence, both occasional and frequent, and the differences between boys and girls. A total of 1055 adolescents (49.2% boys and 50.8% girls) aged between 11 and 17 years (M = 14.06, SD = 1.34) who had had at least one romantic relationship within the last year, completed measures of school violence towards peers, teen dating violence, and personal distress. Statistical analyses revealed that occasional and frequent teen dating violence (both physical and emotional) was more frequent in girls than in boys, and that personal distress functioned as a partial mediator, with an overall model fit higher for boys than girls: in boys, partial mediation occurred for both physical and emotional teen dating violence; in girls, partial mediation occurred only for physical violence. The interpretation of the results is tentative given the novel nature of the study, and points to the evidence of the emotional costs of school violence and the importance of emotion and behavior regulation to undermine the social costs of personal distress.

Male victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence: A steadily increasing phenomenon

Violence perpetrated on male victims is a phenomenon that is currently underestimated by both national and international scientific communities, since males are historically (and stereotypically) considered the perpetrators rather than the victims of violence. As a consequence, the available literature lacks data which would allow a better understanding of this issue and its presenting features. We undertook a retrospective analysis of 231 medical files of male victims of violence over a five-year-period (2014-2018) at the Soccorso Violenza Sessuale e Domestica Centre in Milan, Italy. The sample included 112 victims of sexual violence and 119 victims of domestic violence, most of whom were younger than 18 years of age. The main aim of this study was to describe the presentations of male victims of violence in order to understand the phenomenon better, increase awareness of the issue and enable improved health-care management. The need to pay more attention to this vulnerable part of the population is mandatory in health-care services, and it includes: the provision of management guidelines, training to attending physicians and a supportive service to male survivors. Understanding which risk factors are related to male abuse can help with the development of programmes that identify, prevent and minimise violence - this being especially useful for primary-care clinicians. This is the first Italian study to deal with domestic and sexual violence involving male victims.

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Trauma Symptoms, Mindfulness, and Intimate Partner Violence: Therapeutic Implications for Marginalized Men

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and trauma symptoms have been linked with intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration and victimization among men, yet the field lacks depth in several key areas hampering progress toward violence intervention. Specifically, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) dominates the field's scope of trauma symptoms under study, limiting understanding of other manifestations of trauma especially among men. Furthermore, most research focuses exclusively on men's physical IPV perpetration and rarely focuses on other types of IPV, severity of violence, or men's victimization. Also, few studies examine potential protective factors grounded in the ACE framework, such as mindfulness, among clinical populations. Finally, most research has not focused on men of color, despite some racial/ethnic minority groups disproportionate rates of IPV exposure. Therefore, the relationships between IPV frequency and severity (psychological, physical, injury) and ACEs, PTSD, trauma symptomology (separate from PTSD), and mindfulness self-efficacy were examined in a sample of 67 predominantly low-income men of color in a batterer intervention program. More than half of the sample (51.5%) reported exposure to four or more ACEs, and 31.1% met the clinical cutoff for a probable PTSD diagnosis. Higher ACE scores predicted increased rates for nearly all types of self-reported IPV perpetration and victimization. PTSD symptoms and complex trauma symptom severity together explained between 13% and 40% of IPV outcomes, and each was uniquely associated with certain types of self-reported IPV victimization and perpetration frequency and severity. Mindfulness self-efficacy was associated with decreased self-report psychological IPV perpetration and victimization frequency and severity. Clinical implications relevant to marginalized men are reviewed, including screening, training, and potential therapeutic interventions.

Profiles of Depressive Symptoms and Anger in Men: Associations With Postpartum Family Functioning

Background: Evidence suggests that men commonly experience depression as feelings of anger; yet, research has not investigated what this means for the manifestation of depressive symptoms in the early years of fatherhood and for key indicators of family functioning. Methods: Using data from a longitudinal cohort study of men at the normative age for entering fatherhood (28-32 years), we conducted latent class analyses to identify patterns of depressive symptoms and 3 sub-types of state anger (feeling; verbal; physical). We then assessed whether class membership was associated with paternity status (n = 535). In a subsample of fathers of infants aged up to 18 months (n = 162), we prospectively assessed associations with paternal-infant bonding, co-parenting, perceived social support, paternal involvement in childcare and alcohol use up to 2 years later. Results: Five classes emerged that differentiated men by anger and depressive symptom severity and by the degree to which men endorsed the feeling of wanting to express anger physically. Compared to the reference class with minimal symptoms, fathers had a higher probability of being in either the mild or most severe symptom classes. Men in symptomatic classes were at higher risk of lower levels of social support, co-parenting problems, and paternal-infant bonds. Class membership was not associated with alcohol use or paternal involvement in childcare. Conclusions: Our results reveal patterns of co-existing symptoms of depression and anger in fathers of infants that will be relevant to men's own need for support, their family safety, partner mental health and child developmental outcomes.

Friend or foe? Postdivorce hostility among recently divorced individuals

High levels of hostility often occur during and postdivorce and may significantly affect the quality of life, parent-child relationships, and social functioning of divorcees. Moreover, hostility may predict aggressive and violent behavior. This study sought to (a) compare average general hostility levels of a large sample of Danish divorcees to the norms of the general adult Danish population, (b) compare general hostility levels between male and female divorcees, and (c) investigate the explanatory value of various sociodemographic and divorce-related factors on postdivorce general hostility and whether these factors differ across gender. Cross-sectional baseline data (N = 1,856) from a larger randomized controlled trial study was used in this study. Normative data from a general sample of Danish adults (N = 2,040) was used for comparisons of hostility levels between our study sample and the Danish background population. This study found that male and female divorcees did not report significantly different hostility levels. However, participants reported significantly higher hostility levels postdivorce than the comparative Danish norm sample. Significant predictors of postdivorce hostility were lower age, lower educational level, infidelity as a reason for divorce, higher degree of postdivorce conflict, worse communication with the former spouse, the former spouse as the initiator of the divorce, and new partner status with neither divorcees having a new partner, or only the former spouse having a new partner. The predictive strength of the factors did not differ across gender. The findings may be especially relevant for interventions targeting problematic outcomes postdivorce (e.g., preventing aggressive behavior).

Alcohol-related relationship dissatisfaction: A putative mechanism for intimate partner aggression

Decades of research has identified alcohol use as a contributing cause of intimate partner aggression (IPA) perpetration; however, there have been fewer studies that seek to identify mediators of the relation between alcohol use and IPA perpetration. Building on research showing a positive association between problematic drinking and relationship dissatisfaction and relationship dissatisfaction and IPA, we examined whether relationship dissatisfaction accounted for the relation between problematic drinking and IPA perpetration in couples using statistical modeling that accounted for the interdependence between partners. Our results showed that (a) actor problematic drinking was related to actor psychological and physical IPA perpetration and that this relation was partially explained by actor relationship dissatisfaction, (b) partner problematic drinking was related to actor physical and psychological IPA perpetration and that this relation was partially explained by actor relationship dissatisfaction, and (c) partner problematic drinking was related to actor psychological IPA perpetration and that this relation was partially explained by partner relationship dissatisfaction. Together, our results highlight that when partner interdependence is considered, relationship dissatisfaction could be a potential mechanism of the alcohol-IPA association and provide some evidence for different pathways for psychological and physical aggression. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

A Qualitative Analysis of Physically Aggressive Conflict Episodes Among a Community Sample

Intimate partner aggression among community couples has been conceptualized as representing an occasional, situationally provoked response to a conflict. Yet, relatively few studies have considered the situational factors that contribute to the occurrence of an aggressive episode. The present study used thematic analysis to understand how episodes of physical aggression come about from the participant's perspective. We examined narrative descriptions of relationship conflicts that included physical aggression to gain insight into the types of aggressive incidents experienced, the reasons and motives behind the aggression, and the meaning of these events. Married and cohabiting couples (ages 18-45 at baseline) were recruited from the community to participate in a longitudinal study of relationships. Heavy drinking couples were oversampled. At Wave 3, participants were asked to describe the most severe conflict they had experienced over the past year and to answer questions about severity and impact. Narratives that described use of partner physical aggression by one or both partners were subject to thematic analysis. Using narratives provided by 27 male and 29 female respondents (representing 51 different couples), we identified three primary motives or reasons for aggression: Expressive, Instrumental, and Punishment. Narratives suggested as a primary theme that participants view partner violence as unusual, undesirable, and hence, meaningful. This was particularly true for male-to-female violence, which appeared objectively and subjectively different from female-to-male violence. Findings provide unique insight into the function and meaning of partner violence, including its gendered nature, within a community sample. Implications for measurement of partner aggression are also discussed.

Alcohol use, depressive symptoms, and intimate partner violence perpetration: A longitudinal analysis among men with HIV in northern Vietnam

Background

While the link between alcohol use and male-perpetrated intimate partner violence (IPV) has been well-established, research is needed to test whether psychosocial factors interact with alcohol use to exacerbate IPV perpetration. We tested whether depressive symptoms influenced the strength and/or direction of the alcohol-IPV relationship among men with HIV in Vietnam.

Methods

This study is a secondary analysis using data from a randomized controlled trial conducted in Thai Nguyen, Vietnam. Participants were clinic patients with HIV and hazardous alcohol use. Questionnaires were administered at baseline, three, six, and 12 months. Alcohol use was assessed as proportion of days alcohol abstinent. Analyses were restricted to males who reported being married/cohabitating at baseline (N = 313). Multilevel growth models were used to test whether time-varying depressive symptoms modified the time-varying effect of alcohol use on IPV perpetration.

Results

Time-varying depressive symptoms modified the effect of proportion of days alcohol abstinent on IPV perpetration. However, the pattern of effect modification was not as expected, as reporting depressive symptoms weakened the alcohol-IPV relationship. At times when participants screened negative for depressive symptoms, those who reported higher proportion of days alcohol abstinent than usual had significantly lower odds of IPV perpetration (Odds Ratio [OR] = 0.17, 95% Confidence Interval 0.06, 0.45, p = 0.0004). At times when participants screened positive for depressive symptoms, there was no observed effect of alcohol use on IPV perpetration (OR = 4.28, 95% CI 0.80, 22.78, p = 0.09).

Conclusion

The findings highlight the complex nature of the alcohol-IPV relationship and the need to investigate the intersection between hazardous drinking, mental health, and IPV. Men who concurrently report depressive symptoms and heightened alcohol use may be socially isolated from an intimate partner or experiencing fatigue, leading to less alcohol-related IPV perpetration. Mental health interventions addressing depression and alcohol misuse integrated into HIV services may reduce IPV perpetration.

Negative Emotions as Risk Factors for Self-Directed Violence and Intimate Partner Violence in Chinese College Students

In this study, we examined the unique contributions of negative emotions (i.e., anger, depression, and shame) for two different types of self-directed violence (i.e., nonsuicidal self-injury [NSSI] and suicidality) and three different types of intimate partner violence perpetration (i.e., physical, sexual, and psychological violence) in a college sample. We investigated the moderating role of gender in any link between the negative emotions and the violent behaviors. We also examined an association between self-directed violence and intimate partner violence perpetration. We collected the survey data from a convenience sample of 752 Chinese college students (408 women and 344 men) ranging from 18 to 23 years of age. The questionnaires were filled out during class time. Analyses revealed that anger was associated with increased intimate partner physical, sexual, and psychological violence perpetration but not self-directed violence, underscoring its relevance for engaging in violence directed toward others. Our analyses also showed that, conversely, shame was associated with increased NSSI and suicidality but not intimate partner violence. Depression was associated with increased risk of engaging in self-directed violence as well as intimate partner physical and psychological violence. Moderation analysis showed that gender moderates the relationship of shame with NSSI. Women appear more susceptible to NSSI influenced by shame. Furthermore, the results found self-directed violence and intimate partner physical violence perpetration to be associated. The findings highlight the importance of targeting negative emotions in treatment with high-risk individuals. Integrated violence prevention programs would make it possible to treat co-occurring violence against self and intimate others in a more effective way.

Perpetration of Intimate Partner Violence Among Men Living with HIV in Northern Vietnam

We examined the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration and characteristics of HIV-infected male perpetrators. The cross-sectional study was conducted in Vietnam with male antiretroviral treatment clients (N = 1099; mean age = 40.2 years). Bivariable associations were tested between psychological or physical/sexual IPV perpetration in the last 12 months and sociodemographic, psychosocial, and sexual behavioral factors using prevalence ratios. Factors significant at p < 0.10 were entered in multivariable models for each IPV outcome using a modified Poisson approach. Results showed 15.6% (N = 171/1099) reported perpetrating psychological IPV and 7.6% (N = 84/1099) perpetrating physical/sexual IPV in the last 12 months. HIV risk behaviors, including hazardous drinking and multiple sexual partners, having witnessed interparental violence as a child, and depressive symptoms were associated with perpetrating IPV. HIV interventions targeting HIV-infected men in Vietnam should intervene on IPV perpetration by addressing the co-occurring factors of sexual risk, depression, alcohol use, and child maltreatment that are correlated with IPV.

Elucidating the relationship between borderline personality disorder and intimate partner violence

This study examined the established association between borderline personality disorder (BPD) and intimate partner violence (IPV). More specifically, it compared the DSM-5 traditional categorical personality disorder (PD) model with the DSM-5 Alternative Model of PD (AMPD) operationalizations of BPD in their relative associations with IPV. The effects of gender, as well as the associations between BPD and different forms of IPV were also considered. Additionally, we investigated the specific BPD-relevant AMPD personality traits that influence the BPD-IPV association. The study sample were 250 community-dwelling men and women recruited through an established crowdsourcing platform. Results revealed that both the 'traditional' and AMPD operationalizations of BPD were approximately equally associated with IPV perpetration, although the traditional BPD operationalization demonstrated some minor advantages in this regard. The AMPD trait facets of hostility (negative affectivity), suspiciousness (negative affectivity) and risk taking (disinhibition) were most strongly associated with IPV perpetration for the total sample, and additional negative affectivity trait facets were also associated with IPV for men only. Implications for these findings are discussed. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Distinct and Overlapping Correlates of Psychological and Physical Partner Violence Perpetration

Despite its high prevalence, adverse impact, and potential significance in understanding the onset of physical partner violence (PV), there has been surprisingly scant research on psychological PV perpetration. The present research, guided by social learning and attachment theories, addresses this gap in the literature by examining overlapping and distinct correlates for psychological and physical PV perpetration in emerging adults. Undergraduates (N = 504) with current or recent dating experience were recruited to complete a self-report survey. The survey included measures of emotional and physical child maltreatment, witnessing physical family violence, insecure attachment, hostility, and anger. The sample was 63% female and racially and ethnically diverse (50% non-White, non-Hispanic, or Hispanic of any race). Insecure attachment and anger, but not hostility or child maltreatment, were uniquely correlated with psychological PV, whereas only physical child maltreatment and witnessing physical family violence were unique correlates for physical PV. Neither emotional nor physical child maltreatment potentiated relations between insecure attachment, hostility, or anger and either form of PV. Although females were more likely to perpetrate psychological and physical PV, correlates for each form of PV did not vary by gender. The relations between physical child maltreatment and physical PV are consistent with a social learning theory explanation for physical PV. Insecure attachment and anger appear to be particularly important correlates for psychological, but not physical, PV. Thus, psychological and physical PV may have distinct risk profiles and may require different intervention targets.

Pregnant Adolescents As Perpetrators and Victims of Intimate Partner Violence

The role of pregnant adolescents as perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV) is not well understood. Socioecological factors associated with IPV (physical assault and injury, and psychological aggression) perpetrated by pregnant adolescents and the association between IPV and attitudes toward the use of physical punishment to discipline children were examined among 246 pregnant adolescents. Pregnant adolescents were more likely to report perpetrating both physical assault (24%) and psychological aggression (52.7%) than being the recipient (12.2% and 38.6%, respectively) and having been physically injured (7%) than inflicting injury (4.1%). Risk factors for perpetrating physical assault included prior assault by partner, being African American, exposure to community violence, being in trouble with the police, and multiple lifetime drug use. IPV perpetrators had more favorable attitudes toward the use of physical punishment. Interventions should address IPV and parenting attitudes in young couples to maximize the health and safety of both mother and unborn child.

Traumatic brain injury and adverse psychological effects: Examining a potential pathway to aggressive offending

Contemporary scholarship has demonstrated an association between traumatic brain injury (TBI) during adolescence and aggressive offending. Research, however, has yet to identify any mechanisms linking TBI to subsequent aggressive offending. Consequently, the current study hypothesized that adverse psychological effects is one such pathway. The current study used the Pathways to Desistance data set (n = 416) to examine the pathway of TBI to aggressive offending through adverse psychological effects. The findings of the structural equation model supported the hypothesized association. Specifically, increased exposure to TBI was indirectly associated with aggressive offending through adverse psychological effects. An additional supplemental analysis illustrated that a direct link between TBI and aggressive offending did not exist for the analytical sample. The findings suggested that the neurological disruptions commonly associated with TBI could result in direct increases in negative psychological outcomes and indirect increases in subsequent negative behavioral outcomes.

The structure of aggression in conflict-prone couples: Validation of a measure of the Forms and Functions of Intimate Partner Aggression (FFIPA)

Intimate partner aggression (IPA) is a complex construct composed of the means and the motivations by which a person harms his or her intimate partner. Existing measures only assess forms of IPA perpetration while neglecting to measure the motivations for aggressing. The present study sought to fill this lacuna by adapting and validating an existing measure of the forms and functions of adolescent peer aggression to assess IPA perpetration in adults. This new measure-the Forms and Functions of Intimate Partner Aggression (FFIPA)-comprises 4 latent dimensions of IPA (i.e., overt, relational, proactive, and reactive). Participants were 341 heavy-drinking heterosexual couples (N = 682) with a recent history of psychological and/or physical IPA recruited from 2 metropolitan cities in the United States. The FFIPA demonstrated good model fit and internal validity. Unique patterns of convergent and criterion-related validity supported the 4 dimensions of the FFIPA. Results also indicated women perpetrated significantly more overt and relational aggression than men. Findings support the FFIPA as a valid measure of the forms and functions of IPA perpetration. More important, as the only instrument that parses the forms and functions of IPA perpetration, the FFIPA delineates the unique motivations of an aggressive partner separately from the form of his or her aggressive behavior(s). Further replication is needed to generalize this measure to nonconflictual and other types of intimate relationships. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Emotional flooding in response to negative affect in couple conflicts: Individual differences and correlates

This study explored whether individual differences in self-reported emotional flooding were associated with observational behaviors and experienced and displayed anger during a 10-min problem solving discussion. A sample of 233 married or cohabiting couples, comprising 4 groups (distressed with intimate partner violence [IPV], distressed/nonIPV, satisfied/IPV, and satisfied/nonIPV) was recruited via random digit dialing. Consistent with predictions, both men's and women's flooding were positively associated with partners' negative affect variables, including partners' experienced and displayed anger, as well as positively associated with their own anger. A multinomial logistic regression revealed significant differences between flooding in prediction of couples' group status; specifically that higher levels of emotional flooding were reported by distressed and IPV couples compared with other types of couples. Finally, couples that included at least 1 member high on self-reported emotional flooding were less effective in solving problems during the conflict discussion. Implications and future directions are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Aggressive behavior and metacognitive functions: a longitudinal study on patients with mental disorders

BACKGROUND

Metacognitive functions play a key role in understanding which psychological variables underlying the personality might lead a person with a severe mental disorder to commit violent acts against others. The aims of this study were to: (a) investigate the differences between patients with poor metacognitive functioning (PM group) and patients with good metacognitive functioning (GM group) in relation to a history of violence; (b) investigate the differences between the two groups in relation to aggressive behavior during a 1-year follow-up; and (c) analyze the predictors of aggressive behavior.

METHODS

In a prospective cohort study, patients with severe mental disorders with and without a lifetime history of serious violence were assessed with a large set of standardized instruments and were evaluated bi-monthly with MOAS in order to monitor any aggressive behavior. The total sample included 180 patients: 56% outpatients and 44% inpatients, and the majority were male (75%) with a mean age of 44 (± 9.8) years, and half of them had a history of violence. The sample was split into two groups: poor metacognition (PM) group and good metacognition (GM) group, according to MAI evaluation scores.

RESULTS

The PM patients reported a history of violence more frequently than GM patients, during the 1-year follow-up, but no differences between groups in aggressive and violent behavior were found. The strongest predictors of aggressive behavior were: borderline and passive-aggressive personality traits and a history of violence, anger, and hostility. The metacognitive functions alone did not predict aggressive behavior, but metacognitive functions interacted with hostility and angry reactions in predicting aggressive behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

This study led to some important conclusions: (a) some aspects closely related to violence are predictive of aggressive behavior only in patients with poor metacognition, thus good metacognition is a protective factor; (b) poor metacognition is associated with a history of violence, which in turn increases the risk of committing aggressive behavior.

Mental disorders and intimate partner violence perpetrated by men towards women: A Swedish population-based longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is associated with a wide range of adverse outcomes. Although mental disorders have been linked to an increased risk of perpetrating IPV against women, the direction and magnitude of the association remain uncertain. In a longitudinal design, we examined the association between mental disorders and IPV perpetrated by men towards women in a population-based sample and used sibling comparisons to control for factors shared by siblings, such as genetic and early family environmental factors.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

Using Swedish nationwide registries, we identified men from 9 diagnostic groups over 1998-2013, with sample sizes ranging from 9,529 with autism to 88,182 with depressive disorder. We matched individuals by age and sex to general population controls (ranging from 186,017 to 1,719,318 controls), and calculated the hazard ratios of IPV against women. We also estimated the hazard ratios of IPV against women in unaffected full siblings (ranging from 4,818 to 37,885 individuals) compared with the population controls. Afterwards, we compared the hazard ratios for individuals with psychiatric diagnoses with those for siblings using the ratio of hazard ratios (RHR). In sensitivity analyses, we examined the contribution of previous IPV against women and common psychiatric comorbidities, substance use disorders and personality disorders. The average follow-up time across diagnoses ranged from 3.4 to 4.8 years. In comparison to general population controls, all psychiatric diagnoses studied except autism were associated with an increased risk of IPV against women in men, with hazard ratios ranging from 1.5 (95% CI 1.3-1.7) to 7.7 (7.2-8.3) (p-values < 0.001). In sibling analyses, we found that men with depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, alcohol use disorder, drug use disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and personality disorders had a higher risk of IPV against women than their unaffected siblings, with RHR values ranging from 1.7 (1.3-2.1) to 4.4 (3.7-5.2) (p-values < 0.001). Sensitivity analyses showed higher risk of IPV against women in men when comorbid substance use disorders and personality disorders were present, compared to risk when these comorbidities were absent. In addition, increased IPV risk was also found in those without previous IPV against women. The absolute rates of IPV against women ranged from 0.1% to 2.1% across diagnoses over 3.4 to 4.8 years. Individuals with alcohol use disorders (1.7%, 1,406/82,731) and drug use disorders (2.1%, 1,216/57,901) had the highest rates. Our analyses were restricted to IPV leading to arrest, suggesting that the applicability of our results may be limited to more severe forms of IPV perpetration.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that most of the studied mental disorders are associated with an increased risk of perpetrating IPV towards women, and that substance use disorders, as principal or comorbid diagnoses, have the highest absolute and relative risks. The findings support the development of IPV risk identification and prevention services among men with substance use disorders as an approach to reduce the prevalence of IPV.

Associations Between Attachment Insecurities and Psychological Violence in a Sample of Court-Mandated Batterers

We conducted a survey-based study looking at the associations among attachment insecurities (anxiety and avoidance), relationship functioning, and psychological domestic violence. We looked at three relationship functioning variables (i.e., anger management, communication, and conflict resolution) and three domestic psychological violence variables (i.e., derogation and control, jealous-hypervigilance, and threats-control of space). Data were collected from 76 male and 21 female court-mandated batterers. Participants completed the self-report measures of attachment insecurities, relationship functioning, and psychological domestic violence-related variables. Overall, attachment insecurities were negatively associated with relationship functioning and positively associated with psychological domestic violence outcomes. Among the whole sample, attachment anxiety correlated positively with derogation and control and with jealous-hypervigilance. There were also differential attachment associations by gender. Attachment anxiety correlated positively with threats of controlling space only among men, and with derogation and control and jealous-hypervigilance only among women. Finally, avoidance correlated negatively with communication only among women. Overall, this pattern of results is consistent with predictions derived from attachment theory: attachment insecurities are associated with poor relationship functioning and high rates of domestic violence.

Factors associated with hostility among people living with HIV/AIDS in Northeast China: a cross-sectional study

Background

Hostility can result in negative outcomes in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA); however, previous research on this topic is far from adequate. To contribute to existing knowledge on this aspect of PLWHA, the current study examined the prevalence of hostility and its potential influencing factors among PLWHA.

Methods

A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was undertaken on 218 HIV patients in Heilongjiang Province of China between March and August in 2013. A multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with hostility.

Results

The prevalence of hostility was 17.0% among the participants. The three most alarming types of hostility included desiring to kill the person who infected them, blaming the infection on the society, and abandoning themselves to despair. A multiple logistic regression model identified that depression (OR = 3.845, 95% CI = 1.309–9.229), perceived stigma (OR = 3.281, 95% CI = 1.109–7.711), and fear of dying (OR = 2.710, 95% CI = 1.068–6.881) were the risk factors for hostility, while higher levels of trust-in-doctor (OR = 0.176, 95% CI = 0.060–0.517) and per capita household income (OR = 0.344, 95% CI = 0.119–0.991) were protective factors.

Conclusions

Our findings highlight the prominent influence of psychological, healthcare, and social factors on hostility among PLWHA. Interventions specifically targeted to reduce hostility should be provided, including incorporating psychological service into HIV management guidelines, enhancing PLWHA’s trust-in-doctor, establishing comprehensive services for PLWHA, reducing the social stigma against PLWHA, and paying more attention to PLWHA with financial problems. These interventions may improve the management and control of HIV/AIDS.

Comparison of the CADRI and CTS2 for Measuring Psychological and Physical Dating Violence Perpetration and Victimization

Advancing dating violence (DV) research requires consistent conceptualization and measurement. However, empirical sudies on the measurement of psychological and physical DV perpetration and victimization are uncommon. There were three aims of the current study: (a) to examine the construct validity of psychological and physical DV perpetration and victimization on the Conflict in Adolescent Dating Relationships Inventory (CADRI) and Revised Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS2) using factor analysis; (b) to compare empirically derived DV scales with ones using face valid definitions of psychological and physical DV within each measure; and (c) to compare results obtained from the CADRI with those obtained from the CTS2. A diverse sample of undergraduates (N = 512; 63.9% female, 50.0% White, 16.2% Black, and 22.9% Latino) completed an online survey. There were two-factor solutions for each survey and DV perpetration and victimization: moderate psychological DV and severe psychological/physical DV on the CADRI; and moderate psychological and physical DV and severe psychological and physical DV on the CTS2. Multiple regression analyses showed that results were similar for empirically and rationally derived scoring methods with one exception: On the CTS2, risk factors associated with moderate DV were not the same as those associated with psychological DV. Moreover, the unique contribution of risk factors to each form of DV depended on which survey was used. In multivariate studies of risk factors associated with psychological and physical DV, the CADRI and CTS2 do not appear to be interchangeable, and may lead to different conclusions about the relative importance of risk factors.

Trauma Cognitions and Partner Aggression: Anger, Hostility, and Rumination as Intervening Mechanisms

OBJECTIVE

Previous research has demonstrated a significant association between trauma and intimate partner aggression (IPA) perpetration. However, the precise mechanisms underlying this relationship have yet to be fully elucidated. In the present study, we examined the impact of several key factors implicated in Ehlers and Clark's (2000) cognitive model of trauma (i.e., trauma cognitions, anger, hostility, and rumination) on IPA perpetration.

METHOD

Participants in this study were 271 male and female heavy drinkers at high risk for IPA from the community who completed measures of dysfunctional posttraumatic cognitions, dispositional rumination, trait anger and hostility, and IPA perpetration. A moderated mediational model was tested to determine how these variables interact to predict IPA perpetration.

RESULTS

Results indicated that anger and hostility mediated the effect of negative cognitions about the world on IPA perpetration, with this indirect effect being stronger for individuals with higher levels of rumination.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that cognitive and affective processes that may result from trauma exposure are associated with IPA and should be targeted in prevention and intervention programs for individuals at risk for perpetration.

Examining intersections between violence against women and violence against children: perspectives of adolescents and adults in displaced Colombian communities

BACKGROUND

Research examining the interrelated drivers of household violence against women and violence against children is nascent, particularly in humanitarian settings. Gaps remain in understanding how relocation, displacement and ongoing insecurity affect families and may exacerbate household violence.

METHODS

Employing purposive sampling, we used photo elicitation methods to facilitate semi-structured, in-depth interviews with female and male adolescents and adults aged 13-75 (n = 73) in two districts in Colombia from May to August of 2017. Participants were displaced and/or residing in neighborhoods characterized by high levels of insecurity from armed groups.

RESULTS

Using inductive thematic analysis and situating the analysis within a feminist socioecological framework, we found several shared drivers of household violence. Intersections among drivers at all socioecological levels occurred among societal gender norms, substance use, attempts to regulate women's and children's behavior with violence, and daily stressors associated with numerous community problems. A central theme of relocation was of family compositions that were in continual flux and of family members confronted by economic insecurity and increased access to substances.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest interventions that systemically consider families' struggles with relocation and violence with multifaceted attention to socioecological intersections.