A Latent Class Analysis Characterizing Patterns of Intimate Partner Violence Victimization in a Missouri Sample of Adults Enrolled in a Substance Use Recovery Program

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization is a serious public health issue linked with negative mental health, including substance use disorder (SUD). Yet little is known regarding patterns of IPV victimization among people with SUD. This study used a person-centered approach to characterize heterogeneous IPV victimization experiences and their association with behavioral health outcomes among individuals enrolled in SUD treatment. Methods: Latent class analysis (LCA) classified IPV patterns in adult participants (N = 359) enrolled in SUD treatment in Missouri. IPV was measured using the 15-item Composite Abuse Scale—Revised Short Form and assessed on 3 levels: never, lifetime (ie, not within the past 12 months), and current (ie, within the past 12 months). Multinomial logistic regression analyses examined the associations between latent class membership and outcomes of interest, adjusting for demographics. Results: Most study participants (65.5%) reported any IPV—including past and current. The strongest fit to the data was a five-class solution. Classes characterizing IPV experience included Never (34.5%), Current Multiple (24.8%), Past Multiple (19.8%), Current Emotional (12.5%), and Past Emotional (8.4%). Polyvictimization classes (ie, Current Multiple and Past Multiple ) were significantly correlated with greater odds of endorsing moderate/severe depression and anxiety, compared to the Never class. IPV class membership was not associated with past-30-day non-medical drug use. Conclusions: IPV victimization among adults enrolled in SUD treatment programs is heterogeneous. Unlike prior studies characterizing IPV in general adult community samples, emotional abuse emerged as the most prevalent type of IPV in this clinical sample. Experiencing multiple types of IPV was linked to more severe mental health problems, illustrating that complex IPV histories may be a barrier to SUD recovery success. Findings highlight the need for comprehensive IPV screening and trauma-informed mental health support within SUD treatment settings.