The Association Between Social Contact Frequency and Intimate Partner Violence Among Patients with Comorbid Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders During COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic, persons with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders tended to be particularly poorly equipped to cope with social distancing and stay-at-home orders and were less likely to have the resources to manage interpersonal difficulties. Therefore, in the present investigation, the link between social contact frequency and intimate partner violence (IPV) among patients with comorbid substance use and mental health disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic was examined. A total of 89 patients (61 women and 28 men) receiving outpatient care for comorbid substance use and mental health disorders completed questionnaires assessing their contact frequency with friends and family prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as physical and psychological aggression perpetration and victimization during the enactment of COVID-19 public health orders. Results indicated that a decrease in contact with friends and family during versus prior to the pandemic was negatively associated with both physical aggression perpetration and victimization, and not related to psychological aggression perpetration or victimization. Overall, the present results suggest that patients with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders are particularly vulnerable to experiencing bi-directional physical IPV during public health emergencies or national disasters. These findings underscore the importance of providers routinely assessing for violence in their patients' relationships, even in individual therapy, and provide resources and support to patients to help improve their social skills, reconnect with loved ones, or expand their social support networks to mitigate these risks.