Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2015

DOI

10.1177/1077801215589375

Publication Title

Violence against Women

Volume

21

Issue

8

Pages

917-938

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between emotional distress (defined as depression, brooding, and negative affect), alcohol outcomes, and bidirectional intimate partner violence among lesbian women. Results lend support to the self-medication hypothesis, which predicts that lesbian women who experience more emotional distress are more likely to drink to cope, and in turn report more alcohol use, problem drinking, and alcohol-related problems. These alcohol outcomes were, in turn, associated with bidirectional partner violence (BPV). These results offer preliminary evidence that, similar to findings for heterosexual women, emotional distress, alcohol use, and particularly, alcohol-related problems are risk factors for BPV among lesbian women.

Comments

NOTE: This is the author's pre-print version of a work that was published in Violence Against Women. The final version was published as:

Lewis, R. J., Padilla, M. A., Milletich, R. J., Kelley, M. L., Winstead, B. A., Lau-Barraco, C., & Mason, T. B. (2015). Emotional distress, alcohol use, and bidirectional partner violence among lesbian women. Violence Against Women, 21(8), 917-938. doi:10.1177/1077801215589375

Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1077801215589375

Original Publication Citation

Lewis, R. J., Padilla, M. A., Milletich, R. J., Kelley, M. L., Winstead, B. A., Lau-Barraco, C., & Mason, T. B. (2015). Emotional distress, alcohol use, and bidirectional partner violence among lesbian women. Violence Against Women, 21(8), 917-938. doi:10.1177/1077801215589375

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