Substance Misuse, Executive Function, and Young Adult Intimate Partner Violence: Direct and Indirect Pathways

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant issue in young adult relationships, with immediate and long-term health and well-being consequences. The factors contributing to IPV are complex and span from the level of individual neurobiology to the wider socioecological system. The interplay across these domains in predicting IPV has been understudied. We, therefore, aimed to examine the factors contributing to IPV risk among young adults, adopting a holistic approach considering direct and indirect contributions of socioecological influences in a cohort of high-risk subjects. Data were from a longitudinal birth cohort established in 1991 comparing the developmental trajectories of individuals prenatally exposed to substances including cocaine and nonexposed individuals. Using data from a subsample of 206 participants followed between 2010 and 2020, we implemented path analysis to examine direct and indirect pathways between prenatal drug exposure (PDE) and young adult IPV. We considered the contributions of childhood maltreatment, maternal education, ethnicity, early adolescent substance use, and late adolescent executive function. Sex-specific effects were also explored. There were no significant direct or indirect associations between PDE and IPV. There was evidence of an indirect effect of low maternal education on IPV via effects on early adolescent substance use and subsequent effects on executive function in late adolescence. There was tentative evidence of an effect of ethnicity on IPV risk and of sex differences in the pathways contributing to IPV risk among males and females. We highlight the importance of executive function in young adult IPV risk and suggest considering maternal education and early adolescent substance use as additional contributors to IPV risk. Preventing IPV among young adults may involve enhancing executive functioning and preventing early substance misuse. When examining pathways contributing to IPV risk, it is necessary to adopt a framework integrating the wider socioecological environment.