Daily Alcohol Use and Next-Day Intimate Partner Sexual Violence: Within-Person Associations and Individual...

Intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV) is a widely prevalent form of sexual violence that is associated with significant mental health consequences. Although alcohol use is a well-documented risk factor for interpersonal and sexual violence broadly, research examining the bi-directional relationship between alcohol use and IPSV remains limited.

The current study used experience sampling methods to investigate the bidirectional momentary association between daily alcohol use (i.e., whether alcohol was consumed on a given day) and IPSV among adult women in relationships characterized by intimate partner violence. Participants completed daily surveys over a 30-day period, reporting on alcohol use occurrence and experiences of IPSV since the previous survey.

Results of dynamic structural equation modeling demonstrated a significant between-person association, such that women who reported alcohol use on a greater proportion of days were also more likely to report IPSV. Further, there was a significant within-person cross-lagged effect such that alcohol use occurrence on one day was associated with next-day IPSV. There was significant variability in model effects suggesting that IPSV could be associated with next-day alcohol use for a subset of women.

These findings underscore the importance of nuanced, person-centered approaches in research and intervention, emphasizing the heterogeneity in the alcohol use-IPSV relation. This study highlights the need for targeted prevention strategies that account for individual variability in momentary risk processes.