Publication year
2017
Citation Title
ADHD symptoms as risk factors for intimate partner violence perpetration and victimization.
Journal Name
Journal of Interpersonal Violence
Journal Volume
32
Issue Number
5
Page Numbers
659-681
DOI
10.1177/0886260515586371
Summary
Intimate partner violence (IPV) has many risk factors, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of them. This study had 433 college students complete an online survey regarding their ADHD symptoms, alcohol abuse, drug use, childhood maltreatment, and IPV perpetration and victimization. Results revealed that students with ADHD symptoms were more likely to perpetrate and suffer from IPV.
Key Findings
ADHD symptoms were positively associated with psychological and physical IPV perpetration as well as psychological IPV victimization.
Students who abused alcohol and used drugs were more likely to experience IPV perpetration and victimization regardless if they had ADHD symptoms.
Among students who did not abuse alcohol or use drugs, those with ADHD symptoms were more likely to experience IPV perpetration and victimization than students without ADHD symptoms.
Implications for Military Professionals
Receive training about the associations between mental health disorders (e.g., ADHD) and IPV to enhance their ability to provide support to Service members and their spouses who experienced IPV
Facilitate support groups for Service members and their spouses who suffered from ADHD
Implications for Program Leaders
Offer relationship education workshops for Service members and their spouses who have ADHD symptoms
Disseminate information about where to seek help when someone suffers from IPV
Implications for Policy Makers
Recommend education of professionals working with Service members on the relationships between ADHD, substance abuse, and IPV
Continue to support programs that aim to reduce IPV in military families
Methods
Participants were recruited from a psychology research sample pool at a university; participants with ADHD symptoms were intentionally over-sampled.
Each participant completed an online questionnaire regarding their ADHD symptoms, alcohol abuse, illicit drug use, childhood maltreatment, and IPV perpetration and victimization.
Data were analyzed to examine the relationships between ADHD symptoms, alcohol abuse and drug use, and IPV perpetration and victimization.
Participants
Participants were 433 college students with an average age of 19.10 years (age range = 18-25 years, SD = 1.28).
Most students were female (63%), heterosexual (88%), and White (87%); the race/ethnicity of the remaining 13% of students was not reported.
Eleven percent of students were diagnosed with ADHD.
Limitations
Participants were all young college students, so caution must be taken to generalize the results to older adults and adults who do not attend college.
The cross-sectional design of the study made it impossible to examine the causal relationship between ADHD symptoms and IPV.
The study was based on self report, so it is possible that participants might under-report their IPV perpetration and victimization due to social-desirability.
Avenues for Future Research
Recruit participants of different age groups and education levels so that the findings can be better generalized
Conduct longitudinal studies to investigate the causal relationship between ADHD and IPV
Use reliable external informant (e.g., hospital records) to determine participants' ADHD severity level
Focus
Civilian
Target Population
Population Focus
Abstract
Preliminary evidence underscores links between attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and intimate partner violence
(IPV) perpetration and victimization. However, little is known about whether ADHD symptoms are uniquely associated with IPV perpetration and victimization beyond well-established risk factors of IPV commonly associated with the disorder. In a cross-sectional design, 433 college students rated their ADHD symptoms as well as frequencies of psychological and physical IPV perpetration and victimization. Additional risk factors of IPV included childhood maltreatment, primary psychopathy, alcohol abuse, and illicit drug use. Correlational analyses indicated that students with greater ADHD symptom severity reported higher rates of psychological and physical IPV perpetration, and higher rates of psychological IPV victimization. Regression analyses indicated that ADHD symptoms were not additive risk factors of psychological IPV perpetration and victimization. Students reporting any alcohol abuse or illicit drug use endorsed high rates of psychological IPV perpetration and victimization, regardless of their level of ADHD symptoms. However, students who reported no alcohol abuse or drug use, but did report greater ADHD symptom severity—particularly inattention, indicated higher rates of psychological IPV perpetration and victimization than those reporting no alcohol abuse or drug use and low ADHD symptoms. These findings extend prior research by indicating that alcohol abuse and illicit drug use moderate associations between ADHD symptoms and psychological IPV perpetration and victimization. Investigations are needed to identify mechanisms of the association between ADHD symptoms and IPV perpetration and victimization, particularly those abusing alcohol and drugs, for appropriate prevention and intervention efforts to be developed.
(IPV) perpetration and victimization. However, little is known about whether ADHD symptoms are uniquely associated with IPV perpetration and victimization beyond well-established risk factors of IPV commonly associated with the disorder. In a cross-sectional design, 433 college students rated their ADHD symptoms as well as frequencies of psychological and physical IPV perpetration and victimization. Additional risk factors of IPV included childhood maltreatment, primary psychopathy, alcohol abuse, and illicit drug use. Correlational analyses indicated that students with greater ADHD symptom severity reported higher rates of psychological and physical IPV perpetration, and higher rates of psychological IPV victimization. Regression analyses indicated that ADHD symptoms were not additive risk factors of psychological IPV perpetration and victimization. Students reporting any alcohol abuse or illicit drug use endorsed high rates of psychological IPV perpetration and victimization, regardless of their level of ADHD symptoms. However, students who reported no alcohol abuse or drug use, but did report greater ADHD symptom severity—particularly inattention, indicated higher rates of psychological IPV perpetration and victimization than those reporting no alcohol abuse or drug use and low ADHD symptoms. These findings extend prior research by indicating that alcohol abuse and illicit drug use moderate associations between ADHD symptoms and psychological IPV perpetration and victimization. Investigations are needed to identify mechanisms of the association between ADHD symptoms and IPV perpetration and victimization, particularly those abusing alcohol and drugs, for appropriate prevention and intervention efforts to be developed.
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