Yale University

Testing posttraumatic stress as a mediator of physical, sexual, and psychological intimate partner violence and substance problems among women.

TitleTesting posttraumatic stress as a mediator of physical, sexual, and psychological intimate partner violence and substance problems among women.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2009
AuthorsSullivan, Tami P., Courtenay E. Cavanaugh, Julia D. Buckner, and Donald Edmondson
JournalJournal of traumatic stress
Volume22
Issue6
Pagination575-84
Date Published2009 Dec
ISSN1573-6598
KeywordsAdult, Alcoholism, Causality, Coercion, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Interview, Psychological, Middle Aged, Models, Psychological, Rape, Risk Factors, Sex Offenses, Spouse Abuse, Statistics as Topic, Street Drugs, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Substance-Related Disorders
AbstractThis study examined whether posttraumatic stress specifically resulting from intimate partner violence (IPV-related posttraumatic stress) mediated relationships between types of IPV and drug and alcohol problems among 212 women currently experiencing IPV. Six-month prevalence was high for drug use (48%) and alcohol use (59%). Structural equation modeling revealed that the frequency of physical, sexual, and psychological IPV were significantly and positively related to greater IPV-related posttraumatic stress, and IPV-related posttraumatic stress was significantly and positively related to drug problems. Further, IPV-related posttraumatic stress mediated the relationships between physical IPV and drug problems and psychological IPV and drug problems. Findings suggest that prevention and intervention efforts targeting posttraumatic stress among IPV-exposed women may reduce drug problems in this population.
Alternate JournalJ Trauma Stress

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