Assessment and treatment of cognitive impairment, problem alcohol use, and prescription drug misuse.

Intimate partner aggression (IPA) victimization and substance use have been well established as risk factors for IPA perpetration ( Leonard, 2005 ; Sprunger et al., 2015 ). Recent research has identified a negative association between distress tolerance and physical and psychological IPA perpetration, specifically in males in substance use treatment ( Shorey et al., 2017 ). Research examining the interplay of problem substance use, distress tolerance, and other forms of IPA (i.e., sexual coercion, controlling behaviors) in non-clinical samples is limited. The present analysis aimed to examine the potential moderating effect of distress tolerance on problem alcohol use and four types of IPA perpetration (physical assault, psychological aggression, sexual coercion, and controlling behaviors) in a diverse, national sample ( N = 323; 44.3% female; 52.9% sexual minority; age M = 33.61 years, SD = 8.71). Results showed that alcohol use and distress tolerance had differing influences on each IPA perpetration type. In line with hypotheses, distress tolerance significantly moderated the relationship between problem alcohol use and two forms of IPA (physical assault and controlling behaviors); this relationship was stronger for individuals with low levels of distress tolerance. Significant interaction effects did not emerge for psychological aggression or sexual coercion. Findings suggest that treatment strategies that focus specifically on increasing distress tolerance may be effective in reducing alcohol-facilitated IPA perpetration involving physical assault and controlling behaviors.

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Integrating Theories of Gender and Sexuality With Deviance: The Case of Prescription Drug Misuse during Sex

Gender & Society ◽

10.1177/08912432211009859 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 089124322110098

Author(s):

Laura C. Frizzell ◽

Mike Vuolo ◽

Brian C. Kelly

Keyword(s):

Prescription Drug ◽

Prescription Drugs ◽

Minority Stress ◽

Sexual Minorities ◽

Deviant Behavior ◽

Gender And Sexuality ◽

Drug Misuse ◽

Identity Conflict ◽

Prescription Drug Misuse ◽

Sexual Identities

Social scientists have expended substantial effort to identify group patterns of deviant behavior. Yet beyond the ill-conceived treatment of sexual minorities as inherently deviant, they have rarely considered how gendered sexual identities (GSIs) shape participation in deviance. We argue for the utility of centering theories of gender and sexuality in intersectional deviance research. We demonstrate how this intentional focus on gender and sexuality provides important empirical insights while avoiding past pitfalls of stigmatizing sexual minorities. Drawing on theories of hegemonic masculinity, emphasized femininity, and minority stress together with criminological general strain theory, we demonstrate how societal expectations and constraints generate strains among GSI groups that may lead to distinctly patterned deviance, using the case of prescription drug misuse during sex. We employ thematic analysis of 120 in-depth interviews with people who misuse prescription drugs, stratified by GSI. We identify six themes highlighting distinct pathways from strain to misuse during sex for different GSI groups: intimacy management, achieving sexual freedom, regulating sexual mood, performance confidence, increased sense of control, and managing sexual identity conflict. In this article, we demonstrate the empirical and theoretical importance of centering gender and sexuality in deviance research and provide a roadmap for theoretical integration.

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