Intimate Violence and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Among Individuals with Cocaine Dependence

Abstract

Intimate physical assault and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were assessed in a sample of 91 adults seeking treatment for cocaine dependence. Physical assault included self-report of aggravated assault with a weapon, aggravated assault without a weapon, and simple assault. PTSD was assessed with a structured interview. Overall, 85.7% of the participants reported having been physically assaulted at least once during their lifetime. Slightly less than half of these individuals (46.2%) reported physical assault by an intimate partner. Close to half also met criteria for PTSD at some point in their lives. Women were more likely than men to be physically assaulted by an intimate partner and to report PTSD. Men who experienced physical assault by an intimate were more likely to report PTSD than men assaulted by others. Male victims of intimate violence had higher scores on certain subscales measuring addiction severity than male victims assaulted by others. Findings suggest careful assessment of intimate violence is essential given its high prevalence among cocaine-dependent women and men and its association with PTSD.

• Intimate violence
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Risk
• Substance use disorder

Notes

^* D. G. Kilpatrick, H. S. Resnick, B. E. Saunders, et al., The National Women's Study PTSD Module, unpublished instrument, Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, 1989.