Research has shed new light on the link between substance misuse and domestic violence and how it can be effectively tackled in society.
The report is is the culmination of a six-year research programme (ADVANCE) designed to improve the understanding of risk behind intimate partner abuse (IPA) perpetration by men who are receiving treatment for substance use.
Being treated for substance misuse is a high-risk factor for IPA perpetration, with around six in ten men currently receiving help saying that they had ever been abusive to a female partner.
In interviews with the study’s participants and their (ex) partners, abusive behaviour was found to be closely linked to substance misuse, either when they were intoxicated, when they were in withdrawal, craving substance use, or the act of acquiring said substance.
The acquisition of substances also generated financial pressures which intensified the conflict.
IPV is a significant cause of brain injury, with research ongoing into its ‘hidden impact’ on many survivors’ lives and how they can be better supported.
ADVANCE is a 16-week integrated intervention that simultaneously seeks to address IPA perpetration and substance use. The intervention can be delivered as a group-based in-person intervention or as a digital intervention and has been offered to 94 men across the UK.
Of the 25 participants that were interviewed at the end of the ADVANCE digital intervention, 68 per cent reported a reduction in their abusive behaviours, while 46 per cent reported an increase in the number of drug-free days that they had had in the last month.
The research was led by the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London, in collaboration with researchers from the Universities of Edinburgh, Bristol, Manchester and York.
“Substance misuse and intimate partner abuse are a destructive mix that affect both perpetrator and survivor,” said Professor Gail Gilchrist, the research programme’s chief investigator from King’s National Addiction Centre.
“Our study has shown the value in targeting the specific motivations of those men who are abusive to their partners, including substance use, poor emotional regulation, and poor stress-coping.
“The intervention is designed to promote personal responsibility as the key to facilitating meaningful change.”
Nicola Jacobs, Domestic Abuse Commissioner, said: “The better we understand domestic abuse the easier it is to tackle the behaviour of perpetrators. I therefore very much welcome this research.”
While the initial study of the in-person group intervention took place in substance use treatment services in 2018/19, researchers were forced to adapt the delivery of the programme following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The intervention was delivered online, via a series of six fortnightly video groups and 12 weekly self-directed website sessions with a digital coach to recap and practise skills learned in the video groups. Website sessions were followed by a one-to-one video/phone coaching session with a facilitator.
This online approach was broadly favoured by participants, who noted that taking part online meant that it was easier and less anxiety inducing than having to travel to a treatment centre.
Others said that they found the online sessions to be less engaging than a face-to-face session.
The researchers now hope to conduct a longer-term follow-up to explore whether these initial findings are maintained.
