Contributions of Demand/Withdraw Processes and Alcohol Consumption on Emotional Flooding in Distressed Violent versus Distressed Non-Violent Couples

We collected data from 58 distressed violent (DV) and 29 distressed non-violent (DNV) opposite-sex couples during an initial lab visit. With one exception, results indicated similar associations between withdraw/demand communication and emotional flooding for both distressed violent and distressed nonviolent partners. DV and DNV women’s emotional flooding was positively associated with their own report of a female-demand/male-withdraw as well as male-demand/female-withdraw pattern. Both DV and DNV men reported higher levels of emotional flooding if they perceived their female partner as demanding while they were withdrawing. Lastly, DV men were more flooded if they saw themselves as demanding and their female partner as withdrawing, but less flooded if their female partner perceived them as demanding while she perceived herself as withdrawing. Surprisingly, alcohol use was not associated with any of the processes under investigation in the current study, highlighting the need for sensitive measures that can capture the nuanced processes that underlie IPV in couples who use alcohol.

As of September 2021, one manuscript is currently under review.

Relationship Outcomes among Patients in an Integrated Substance Use Treatment Program during the COVID-19 Pandemic

We collected self-report data from 61 women and 28 men receiving outpatient care for substance use and mental health disorders at a Level III Patient-Centered Medical Home affiliated with an integrated academic health center during the winter of 2020/2021 to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated stay-at-home orders on relationship functioning. We found that physical aggression towards one’s partner was associated with social isolation during the pandemic, whereas physical aggression by one’s partner was associated with perceived loneliness. Additional, marginally significant findings tentatively suggested that patients endorsing a greater sense of loneliness were less satisfied in their romantic relationship. 

As of September 2021, one manuscript is currently under review, with additional manuscripts in preparation and expected submission dates of February 2022.