Intimate Partner Aggression Perpetration in Primary Care Chronic Pain Patients

Abstract

This study examined the prevalence and correlates of partner aggression perpetration in 597 primary care chronic pain patients. Approximately 30% of participants reported perpetrating low-level aggression, 12% reported injuring their partner, and 5% reported engaging in sexual coercion. Women reported more low-level aggression perpetration than men, and men reported more engagement in sexual coercion than women. Substance use disorders (SUD) were associated with all outcomes, and both aggression victimization and lifetime ratings of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were associated with low-level aggression and injuries. In multivariate analyses, gender, aggression victimization, PTSD, and SUD evidenced associations with one or more outcomes. Findings indicate a need for aggression screening in this population and highlight avenues for intervention.