Relative Importance of Emotional Dysregulation,Hostility,and Impulsiveness in Predicting Intimate Partner Violence Perpetrated by Men in Alcohol Treatment

Abstract

The current study employs dominance analysis to assess the relative importance of three constructs—hostility, impulsiveness, and emotional dysregulation (difficulties managing one’s emotions when experiencing negative emotion or distress)—in explaining psychological, physical, and sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration by men seeking alcohol treatment. A sample of 121 predominantly White, heterosexual men (average age 33.28, range = 18–62) enrolled in residential substance abuse treatment completed measures of emotional dysregulation, hostility, and impulsiveness, which are three highly related constructs identified as risk factors for both substance use disorders and IPV. The constructs collectively accounted for 20–25% of the variance in each form of IPV. Because impulsiveness, hostility, and emotional dysregulation are highly correlated, dominance analysis was used to examine which factor most strongly predicted each form of IPV. Dominance analysis findings favored hostility as a predictor of physical IPV perpetration and impulsiveness as a predictor of sexual and psychological IPV perpetration. Differential associations between the constructs and each form of IPV may be used to inform assessment and treatment planning of men who abuse alcohol. Better understanding, preventing, and treating male-to-female IPV will protect women from the far-reaching consequences of this violence.