Objective: This study examined patterns of violence victimization and aggression in both intimate partner and non-partner relationships among veterans, and used latent profile analysis to identify subtypes of violence involvement. Methods: Participants were 841 substance use treatment-seeking veterans (94% male) from a large VA Medical Center who completed screening measures for a randomized controlled trial. Self-report measures were: substance use, legal problems, depression, and violence involvement. Results: Past year violence involvement, including both intimate partner (IPV) and non-partner (NPV) were common in the sample; although NPV occurred at somewhat higher rates. When including either IPV or NPV aggression or victimization, over 48% reported involvement with physical violence, 31% with violence involving injury and 86% with psychological aggression. Latent profile analysis including both aggression and victimization in partner and non-partner relationships indicated a four profile solution: no-low violence (NLV, n = 701), predominantly IPV (n = 35), predominantly NPV (n = 83), and high general violence (HGV, n = 22). Multinomial logistic regression analyses revealed that compared to the no-low violence group, the remaining three groups differed in demographics, depressive symptoms, alcohol and other drug use, and legal involvement. Individuals within each profile had different patterns of substance use and legal involvement with the participants with an HGV profile reporting the most legal problems. Conclusions: IPV and NPV are relatively common among veterans seeking substance use treatment. Characteristics of violence and associated substance use, mental health, and legal difficulties may be useful in considering how to tailor substance use and mental health services.
Everyday discrimination and mood and substance use disorders: A latent profile analysis with African Americans and Caribbean Blacks
