COVID-19 pandemic linked to an increase in intimate partner aggression,
study shows
The study found that the pandemic resulted in a six-to-eightfold increase
in rates of intimate partner aggression across the U.S.

Date:
August 17, 2021
Source:
Georgia State University
Summary:
Rates of physical and psychological aggression among couples
increased significantly after the implementation of shelter-in-place
restrictions at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, according
to a new study. The findings indicate that stress related to the
pandemic was strongly associated with perpetration of intimate
partner aggression, even among individuals considered at low risk.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Rates of physical and psychological aggression among couples increased significantly after the implementation of shelter-in-place restrictions
at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study led by
Georgia State University researchers.


==========================================================================
The study found that the pandemic resulted in a six-to-eightfold
increase in rates of intimate partner aggression across the U.S. Physical aggression increased from two acts per year before the pandemic to 15
acts per year once shelter-in-place restrictions began. Psychological aggression increased from 16 acts per year to 96 acts per year.

The findings indicate that stress related to the pandemic was strongly associated with perpetration of intimate partner aggression, even among individuals considered at low risk.

"If you think about it, that [increase] represents an enormous shift
in people's day-to-day lives," said the study's lead author Dominic
Parrott, professor of psychology and director of the Center for Research
on Interpersonal Violence. "It's the difference between having a bad
fight with your partner once a month versus twice a week." The study, published in the journal Psychology of Violence, is among the first
to document increases in perpetration of intimate partner aggression
following the onset of the pandemic in local communities.

Researchers recruited 510 participants in April 2020 -- during the
height of shelter-in-place restrictions across the U.S. -- and asked
them questions related to the period prior to and after the onset of
the COVID-19 in their community. Participants answered questions about
COVID-19 stressors, perpetration of physical and psychological aggression towards their partner and heavy drinking, which is known to facilitate aggression. About half of the participants identified as a sexual or
gender minority.



========================================================================== "People were suddenly under an enormous amount of stress, and we felt relatively certain that this was increasing aggression and violence,"
said Parrott. "There's data showing that after natural disasters, for
example, when basic resources are lost and people have to live in close proximity, intimate partner violence goes up. Our fundamental aim was to document what was happening as a result of the pandemic." While rates
of intimate partner aggression remained high among heavy drinkers, it
was non-heavy drinkers who were most affected by COVID-related stress. In
fact, the association between physical aggression after the onset of the pandemic and COVID-19 stress was apparent only in people who consumed
fewer drinks per day.

"People who aren't heavy drinkers may be able to prevent stress
from affecting their relationships under normal circumstances, but
we hypothesized that the extreme events of the pandemic might change
that. And that's how the data played out," said Parrott. "Pandemic stress didn't really tip the scales towards violence among heavy drinkers,
but for non-heavy drinkers, all bets were off." These findings suggest
a focus on couples' acute and chronic stress is critical, regardless of
their average alcohol consumption.

The study authors note that policies designed to alleviate negative
impacts of the pandemic -- such as economic relief packages or polices
that provide increased access to childcare and healthcare -- may, in
turn, reduce stress and perpetration of intimate partner aggression. In addition, broad implementation of public health policies aimed at
mitigating the spread of the virus may also mitigate physical and
psychological aggression.

"Most people wouldn't think about intimate partner violence as a reason
to offer an economic relief package, but our data suggest that it has
potential to be an effective measure," said Parrott. "The data also
suggest that typical high-risk groups are not the only ones at risk of perpetrating violence in this kind of crisis environment. The stress of
the pandemic is so profound and so ubiquitous that you need interventions
or policies that hit big swaths of the population." At the individual
level, the authors suggest that as-needed text-messaging interventions
may be particularly useful during pandemics when social distancing is necessary. Known as autonomous just-in-time interventions, these are increasingly feasible to deliver and require fewer resources, making
them scalable for individuals who may not otherwise receive traditional in-person treatment.

The study's coauthors are Cynthia Stappenbeck, associate professor of psychology; Miklo's Halmos, a doctoral student in community psychology;
and Kevin Moino, a doctoral student in clinical psychology.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Georgia_State_University. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Dominic J. Parrott, Miklo's B. Halmos, Cynthia A. Stappenbeck, Kevin
Moino. Intimate partner aggression during the COVID-19 pandemic:
Associations with stress and heavy drinking.. Psychology of
Violence, 2021; DOI: 10.1037/vio0000395 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210817193010.htm

--- up 14 weeks, 4 days, 22 hours, 45 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)