Elsevier

Clinical Psychology Review

Volume 28, Issue 7, October 2008, Pages 1222-1234
Clinical Psychology Review

Alcohol and intimate partner violence: A meta-analytic review

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2008.05.001Get rights and content

Abstract

The link between alcohol use/abuse and partner violence attracted increasing research attention in the past decade. Some studies reported a null or weak association between alcohol use and intimate partner violence, whereas other studies reported a moderate or large association. Using a meta-analytic approach, the link between alcohol use/abuse and male-to-female partner violence as well as female-to-male partner violence was examined herein. The results indicate that there is a small to moderate effect size for the association between alcohol use/abuse and male-to-female partner violence and a small effect size for the association between alcohol use/abuse and female-to-male partner violence. For men only, several moderators were also examined and the magnitude of the effect sizes varied significantly as a function of the type of sample and type of alcohol measure selected. Specifically, there was a larger association of alcohol and aggression in clinical versus non-clinical samples and when measures assessed more severe alcohol problems.

Section snippets

Theoretical models of the alcohol and IPV

Similar to the broader literature on alcohol and general aggression, theoretical explanations for the alcohol–IPV link vary from placing alcohol as a causal variable to a spurious variable (for reviews, see Graham et al., 1997, Leonard, 2001, Lipsey et al., 1997). Three common models are as follows: (1) spurious effects model; (2) indirect effects model; and (3) proximal effects model (Leonard & Quigley, 1999).

The spurious model states that the association between alcohol and aggression is due

Literature search

In order to identify studies for inclusion, the computer databases, PsycINFO and PsycARTICLES, were searched for studies between 1980 and 2006. The following combinations of key words were used for searching: alcohol, partner aggression, domestic violence, intimate partner violence, couples, aggression, physical abuse, and alcohol abuse. Reference lists of identified articles were also searched for other studies as well as searching by author names that conducted research in the area (e.g.,

Results

The mean overall effect sizes and individual effect sizes are reported for female alcohol use/abuse and aggression (N = 8) and male alcohol use/abuse and aggression (N = 47) in Table 1, Table 2, respectively. The mean overall effect size for the studies of female alcohol use/abuse and aggression perpetration was statistically significant and in the small effect size range (r = .14; 95% confidence interval = .08–.20). The test for heterogeneity was not significant, (Qw = 13.98, p > .05), but this lack of

Discussion

The results of this meta-analytic review clearly indicate that alcohol and IPV are associated for both males and females. This is the first study to report on alcohol and IPV perpetration for females; the analysis of 8 studies indicated a small but significant effect size for alcohol use/abuse and female physical perpetration of aggression. For males, the results were extremely consistent with previous reviews despite a broader definition of relationship status used for inclusion. Specifically,

Acknowledgement

Appreciation is expressed to Heidi Lary for assistance with coding of studies.

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    References marked with an asterisk indicate studies included in the meta-analysis.

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