Premium
Association of Cannabis Use With Intimate Partner Violence Among Couples With Substance Misuse
Author(s) -
Flanagan Julianne C.,
Leone Ruschelle M.,
Gilmore Amanda K.,
McClure Erin A.,
Gray Kevin M.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
the american journal on addictions
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.997
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1521-0391
pISSN - 1055-0496
DOI - 10.1111/ajad.13025
Subject(s) - cannabis , domestic violence , clinical psychology , psychology , poison control , psychiatry , injury prevention , drug , substance abuse , suicide prevention , substance use , medicine , environmental health
Background and Objectives There is a well‐established causal link between substance use and intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration and victimization. However, little is known about the complex emerging relationship between cannabis use and IPV. Because cannabis is the most commonly used drug in the United States and is associated with numerous IPV risk factors such as alcohol use, it is important to examine this relationship in greater detail. Method The current exploratory study examined the association between (a) self‐reported cannabis use during the past 90 days and (b) Δ9‐tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) urine drug screens and IPV perpetration and victimization in a sample of 30 alcohol or drug‐misusing community couples ( N = 60 individual participants). Results The majority of participants ( n = 50 individuals, 83.3%) had concordant cannabis self‐reported and urine drug screen results. After accounting for demographic variables and quantity and frequency of alcohol and stimulant use, greater quantity and frequency of cannabis use as well as positive THC urine drug screen results were associated with greater physical IPV victimization, and greater quantity and frequency of cannabis were associated with greater IPV psychological victimization and perpetration, and physical IPV victimization. Conclusion and Scientific Significance Findings emphasize the unique and important role that cannabis plays in the occurrence of IPV among intact couples. Findings also underscore the feasibility and utility of integrating confirmatory biological samples into future studies on this topic in order to advance the science in this area. (Am J Addict 2020;00:00–00)