Men's Avoidance Coping and Female Partner's Drinking Behavior: A High-Risk Context for Partner Violence?

• NCJ Number: 231887
• Journal: Journal of Family Violence Volume: 25 Issue: 7 Dated: October 2010 Pages: 679-687
• Author(s): Amy M. Cohn; Barbara S. McCrady; Elizabeth E. Epstein; Sharon M. Cook
• Date Published: October 2010
• Length: 9 pages
• Grant Number(s): T32 AA07569; R01 AA07070
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health and Human Services
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the role of men's avoidance coping in response to their female partners' drinking behavior as a risk factor for male intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration in the lives of women with alcohol abuse or dependence, prior to receiving treatment.

Abstract

The current study explored whether men's avoidance coping in response to the drinking behavior of their female partner with an alcohol use disorder (AUD) would be associated with higher levels of men's perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV). Women with an AUD (n=109) and their male partners in a United States urban area were assessed on men's perpetration of minor and severe violence using the Conflict Tactics Scale, men's avoidance coping using the Spouse Behavior Questionnaire, and men's and women's drinking behavior using the Time Line Follow Back Interview. Using multiple regression analysis, results showed that men's use of avoidance coping significantly predicted male IPV perpetration over and above the women's perpetration of violence toward him, while women's alcohol use did not significantly predict male-to-female IPV perpetration. Implications for teaching emotion-regulation strategies to male partners of women with an AUD to cope with partner drinking are discussed. Tables and references (Published Abstract)