Alcohol and intimate partner violence: a meta-analytic review

Clin Psychol Rev. 2008 Oct;28(7):1222-34. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2008.05.001. Epub 2008 May 10.

Abstract

The link between alcohol use/abuse and partner violence attracted increasing research attention in the past decade. Some studies reported a null or weak association between alcohol use and intimate partner violence, whereas other studies reported a moderate or large association. Using a meta-analytic approach, the link between alcohol use/abuse and male-to-female partner violence as well as female-to-male partner violence was examined herein. The results indicate that there is a small to moderate effect size for the association between alcohol use/abuse and male-to-female partner violence and a small effect size for the association between alcohol use/abuse and female-to-male partner violence. For men only, several moderators were also examined and the magnitude of the effect sizes varied significantly as a function of the type of sample and type of alcohol measure selected. Specifically, there was a larger association of alcohol and aggression in clinical versus non-clinical samples and when measures assessed more severe alcohol problems.

Publication types

  • Meta-Analysis
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Alcohol Drinking / epidemiology*
  • Humans
  • Interpersonal Relations
  • Sexual Partners*
  • Spouse Abuse / statistics & numerical data*