A System for Rapidly Yet Rigorously Evaluating the Quality of Randomized Controlled Trials.

ABSTRACT: This tutorial describes a system for rapidly yet rigorously assessing the quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The system has 7 criteria, represented by the acronym "BIS FOES." The BIS FOES system directs readers to assess RCTs based on the following 7 criteria: the RCT's use (or not) of effective (1) Blinding; the RCT's use (or not) of (2) Intent-to-Treat Analysis; the RCT's (3) Size and other information reflecting the effectiveness of randomization; the amount of sample lost during (4) Follow-up; the (5) Outcomes examined by the RCT (specifically, the outcome measures used by the RCT), the (6) Effects reported (ie, the statistical and clinical significance of the RCT's primary, secondary, and safety findings), and any (7) Special Considerations (ie, additional strengths, limitations, or notable features of the RCT). The first 6 criteria are of basic importance to the assessment of every RCT, whereas the Special Considerations criteria allows the system to be expanded to include virtually any other important aspect of the RCT. This tutorial explains the importance of these criteria and how to assess them. This tutorial also describes how many BIS FOES criteria can be initially assessed from the RCT Abstract while also directing readers to specific locations in the RCT article where additional important information can be found. We hope that the BIS FOES system will help healthcare trainees, but also potentially clinicians, researchers, and the general public, rapidly and thoroughly assess RCTs.

Polydrug Use and Dating Violence Among Emerging Adults.

We examined sociodemographic and psychosocial risk factors that moderate the (poly) substance use and dating violence victimization and perpetration relationship among emerging adults. Using an ethnically diverse sample (N = 698), we used latent class analyses to identify mutually exclusive groups based on monthly and past-year substance use. We then examined these groups as they relate to dating violence victimization and perpetration and the moderating effect of various risk factors. Five classes were identified based on substance use patterns: (a) Regular Alcohol use, (b) Polysubstance use, (c) Heavy Alcohol and Marijuana use, (d) Mild Alcohol use, and (e) Occasional Alcohol and Marijuana use classes. Participants in the Polysubstance use class were the most likely to perpetrate dating violence followed by Heavy Alcohol and Marijuana use, Occasional Alcohol and Marijuana use, Regular Alcohol, and Mild Alcohol use classes. Similarly, participants in the Polysubstance use class were the most likely to be victims of dating violence followed by Occasional Alcohol and Marijuana, Heavy Alcohol and Marijuana, Regular Alcohol, and Mild Alcohol use classes. Depending on substance use class, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, history of dating violence, and trauma symptoms differentially influenced dating violence perpetration and victimization at 1-year follow-up. Our findings support the need to comprehensively address dating violence among emerging adults. Intimate partner violence prevention and intervention programs may benefit from targeting emerging adults who misuse substances and incorporating substance use interventions into dating violence prevention efforts.

Problematic Pornography Use and Physical and Sexual Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration Among Men in Batterer Intervention Programs.

Recent decades witnessed a surge in pornography use, contributing to what some researchers referred to as problematic pornography use (PPU; excessive, compulsive, and uncontrollable pornography use). Informed by cognitive scripts theory, cross-sectional, longitudinal, and experimental research spanning several decades documented a positive association between men's pornography use and physical and sexual violence perpetration. However, there is a paucity of research investigating pornography use broadly, and PPU specifically, among men who perpetrate intimate partner violence (IPV). The present cross-sectional study investigated the association between self-reported PPU and physical and sexual IPV perpetration among 273 men in batterer intervention programs. After accounting for psychiatric symptomology and substance use and problems, results revealed a positive association between PPU and both physical and sexual IPV perpetration. Findings highlighted the need for continued investigation of the function of pornography use for violent men, particularly as it relates to physical and sexual IPV perpetration.

Risk of Revocation Among Batterers: A Preliminary Analysis of Criminogenic, Intimate Partner Violence, and Mental Health Risks.

This study examined whether criminogenic risk, domestic violence risk, and mental health diagnoses would predict probation revocation among batterers in a felony domestic violence court (FDVC). Review of probation files included baseline assessments and probation disposition for FDVC probationers from January 2014 to March 2018 (n = 64). Results of the binary logistic regression analysis showed that criminogenic risk was a significant predictor of FDVC probation revocation. Interventions to prevent unsuccessful completion of domestic violence courts may benefit from programming that addresses early engagement in treatment, antisocial thinking patterns, and treatment for substance use disorders.

Alcohol Problems, Jealousy, and Cyber Dating Abuse Perpetration Among Men and Women: Toward a Conceptual Model.

Investigations of alcohol use in relation to cyber dating abuse (CDA) remain underdeveloped relative to alcohol-related face-to-face dating abuse research. A critical step toward advancing this area of research would include examining the applicability of alcohol-related partner abuse models to CDA perpetration. Existing models of alcohol-related partner abuse suggested that alcohol and partner abuse are more likely to co-occur in the presence of aggressogenic distal traits. We propose that this model may extend to CDA perpetration. Toward this end, the present study collected cross-sectional data from college students (N = 258; 56.2% male) to investigate whether trait romantic jealousy moderated the association between alcohol problems and CDA perpetration, controlling for face-to-face dating abuse perpetration. We hypothesized that alcohol problems would positively relate to CDA perpetration among college students with high, but not low, romantic jealousy. We explored whether the interactive effect varied by sex. Results revealed a significant three-way interaction; the moderating role of romantic jealousy in the relation between alcohol problems and CDA perpetration varied by sex. Alcohol problems positively related to CDA perpetration for women with high, but not low, romantic jealousy. Alcohol problems did not relate to CDA perpetration regardless of men's level of romantic jealousy. These preliminary results suggested that alcohol-related partner abuse models may be useful for conceptualizing CDA perpetration and identifying CDA intervention components.

Alcohol Use and Problems as a Potential Mediator of the Relationship between Emotion Dysregulation and IPV Perpetration.

OBJECTIVE: Alcohol use/problems and emotion dysregulation are associated with increased intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration. Additionally, alcohol use is an overt coping mechanism for dysregulated emotion. While past research has examined alcohol use/problems as a mediator between emotion dysregulation and IPV, research is limited within clinical samples. The current study sought to fill this gap by examining a theoretical model by which emotion dysregulation and alcohol use/problems influence IPV perpetration in a sample of men arrested for domestic violence. Consistent with prior research, it was hypothesized that alcohol use/problems would mediate the relationship between emotion dysregulation and psychological aggression. Additionally, we hypothesized that emotion dysregulation would positively associate with increased alcohol use/problems, which would relate to increased physical assault perpetration through psychological aggression perpetration. METHOD: Using a cross-sectional sample of 391 men arrested for domestic violence and court-referred to Batterer Intervention Programs (BIP), the present study used structural equation modeling to examine proposed pathways from emotion dysregulation to IPV perpetration directly and indirectly through alcohol use/problems. RESULTS: Alcohol use/problems explained the relation between emotion dysregulation and psychological aggression perpetration. In addition, emotion dysregulation related to psychological aggression which explained the relation between alcohol use/problems and physical assault perpetration. CONCLUSIONS: These findings underline the importance of assessing and addressing emotion dysregulation and alcohol use/problems as risk factors for IPV in existing BIP as well as within theoretical models.

Sexting and Substance Use among Women Arrested for Domestic Violence: A Brief Report.

BACKGROUND: Advances in technology provide opportunities for communication using electronic mediums. Sexting is one form of electronic communication and includes the sending of explicit sexual content (e.g., photos, text) through electronic mediums. Previous research demonstrated a positive association between sexting and behaviors such as substance use. Moreover, substance use increases the risk for intimate partner violence and is also associated with risky behaviors. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to examine the prevalence of sexting in a sample of 84 women mandated to attend batterer intervention programs following arrest for domestic violence. The associations between sexting, substance use, and intimate partner violence were also examined. METHOD: Participants completed self-report questionnaires that assessed sexting, intimate partner violence, and alcohol and drug use symptoms. RESULTS: Fifty-four percent of participants reported being asked to send a sext, 35.1% reported sending a sext, and 32.0% reported requesting a sext. Drug use symptoms were positively associated with some forms of sexting and intimate partner violence. There was a significant difference in drug use symptoms, such that women who received a request to send a sext had significantly more symptoms relative to women who had not received a request to send a sext. CONCLUSION: This is the first examination of sexting in a sample of women arrested for domestic violence. Findings indicate an association between drug use symptoms, sexting, and intimate partner violence, warranting continued research in this domain.

Suicide ideation among Southern U.S. Sexual minority college students.

Sexual minority individuals are at higher risk for suicide ideation compared with heterosexual individuals. We tested whether the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide explains increased suicide ideation among sexual minority college students living in the southeastern region of the United States. The cross-sectional study assessed correlates of suicide ideation in a convenience sample (n = 82) of sexual minority college students. Perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness correlated with suicide ideation. However, only perceived burdensomeness correlated with suicide ideation while controlling for depressive symptoms. Pending replication, perceived burdensomeness may be a target for suicide prevention and intervention among sexual minority college students.

Cyber Abuse among Men Arrested for Domestic Violence: Cyber Monitoring Moderates the Relationship between Alcohol Problems and Intimate Partner Violence.

OBJECTIVE: We provide the first investigation of the prevalence and frequency of cyber abuse among men arrested for domestic violence (DV). We also offer the first conceptualization of cyber monitoring, a facet of cyber abuse, within the I3 theory of IPV. That is, the risk of IPV perpetration may be higher for men with alcohol problems who also frequently access emotionally-salient instigatory cues, namely, information gleaned from cyber monitoring. Thus, we hypothesized that alcohol problems would positively relate to IPV perpetration among men who engaged in high, but not low, levels of cyber monitoring. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional sample of 216 men arrested for DV and court-referred to batterer intervention programs (BIPs), we explored the prevalence and frequency of cyber abuse perpetration and victimization. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses tested the interaction between cyber monitoring and alcohol problems predicting IPV perpetration (psychological aggression and physical assault). RESULTS: Eighty-one percent of men endorsed perpetrating at least one act of cyber abuse in the year prior to entering BIPs. Alcohol problems and both psychological and physical IPV perpetration positively related at high, but not low, levels of cyber monitoring. CONCLUSION: Clinicians should assess for cyber abuse and alcohol use among DV offenders. Amendments to legal statutes for DV offenders should consider incorporating common uses of technology into legal definitions of stalking and harassment. Social media campaigns and BIPs should increase individuals' awareness of the criminal charges that may result from some forms of cyber abuse and monitoring.

An Examination of Sexting, Sexual Violence, and Alcohol Use Among Men Arrested for Domestic Violence.

Technological advances provide greater opportunity for electronic communication to occur within romantic relationships. Sexting, defined as sending sexually explicit content via electronic mediums, is one such type of communication and its association with alcohol use and partner violence is supported by existing research. We extend this knowledge by examining the prevalence of past-year sexting within a clinical sample of men arrested for domestic violence (N = 312). The associations between sexting, alcohol use, and sexual violence perpetration in the past year were also examined. Findings indicated that sexting was a prevalent behavior among this population, with 60% of the sample having requested a sext from someone, 55% having been asked to send a sext, and 41% having sent a sext within the past year. Logistic regression analyses indicated that sexting was linked to past-year sexual violence perpetration, even after controlling for age and past-year alcohol use. This is the first study to provide evidence that sexting is prevalent among men arrested for domestic violence. Moreover, men who endorsed sexting within the past year were more likely to have perpetrated past-year sexual violence than men who did not engage in sexting. Understanding the relation between sexting and other problematic behaviors, such as alcohol use and sexual violence, will inform intervention efforts across various populations.

Marijuana use is associated with intimate partner violence perpetration among men arrested for domestic violence.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health problem. Substance use, particularly alcohol, is a robust risk factor for IPV. There is a small but growing body of research demonstrating that marijuana use is positively associated with IPV perpetration. However, research on marijuana use and IPV has failed to control for other known predictors of IPV that may account for the positive association between marijuana use and IPV perpetration. Therefore, the current study examined whether marijuana use was associated with IPV perpetration after controlling for alcohol use and problems, antisocial personality symptoms, and relationship satisfaction, all known risk factors for IPV. Participants were men arrested for domestic violence and court-referred to batterer intervention programs (N = 269). Findings demonstrated that marijuana use was positively and significantly associated with psychological, physical, and sexual IPV perpetration, even after controlling for alcohol use and problems, antisocial personality symptoms, and relationship satisfaction. Moreover, marijuana use and alcohol use and problems interacted to predict sexual IPV, such that marijuana use was associated with sexual IPV at high, but not low, levels of alcohol use and problems. These findings lend additional support to the body of research demonstrating that marijuana use is positively associated with IPV perpetration in a variety of samples. Results suggest that additional, rigorous research is needed to further explore why and under what conditions marijuana is associated with IPV perpetration.

Associations of Emotional Abuse Types with Suicide Ideation among Dating Couples.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that coercive control is more strongly associated with suicidal ideation than other forms of intimate partner violence. However, a majority of these studies focused on samples of help-seeking women. This study examined whether coercive control remains the form of intimate partner violence most strongly associated with suicidal ideation within a sample of nonclinical dating couples. This cross-sectional, survey study on 104 dating couples examined the associations of coercive control (i.e., dominance/intimidation and restrictive engulfment) with suicidal ideation, while controlling for other forms of emotional abuse (i.e., hostile withdrawal and denigration), physical assault, and depressive symptoms. As expected, dominance/intimidation and depressive symptoms, but not denigration and physical assault, were associated with suicidal ideation. Contrary to our hypothesis, hostile withdrawal, but not restrictive engulfment, was associated with suicidal ideation. This study suggests that dominance/intimidation and hostile withdrawal are forms of emotional abuse that are pertinent to suicidal ideation in nonclinical dating couples.