THE INCIDENCE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF VIOLENT MEN IN SUBSTANCE-ABUSE TREATMENT

Linkage between marital violence and substance abuse has been noted in men seeking treatment for substance-use disorders. The present study examined (1) the incidence of family violence in men admitted into sub stance abuse treatment; (2) the psychosocial characteristics associate d with marital violence; and (3) the comparability of violent substanc e abusers to their treatment cohorts. Fifty-nine men in substance abus e treatment involved in a significant relationship in the past year we re assessed for substance abuse, family violence, psychosocial functio ning, and personality attributes. Fifty-eight percent of men reported at least one incident of physical familial violence in the past year, while 100% of the men reported having engaged in psychological abuse i n the past year. Additionally, greater violence was associated with in terpersonal insensitivity, hostile outbursts, and poorer overall funct ioning independent of substance abuse. Finally, violent male substance abusers reported significantly more hostility, suspiciousness, projec tion of blame, and interpersonal inadequacy than did the less violent substance abusers. These findings suggest that, in drug-treatment sett ings, systematic objective screening for family violence is routinely called for. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.