Screening on perpetration and victimization of intimate partner violence (IPV): two studies on the validity of an IPV screening instrument in patients in substance abuse treatment

PLoS One. 2013 May 16;8(5):e63681. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0063681. Print 2013.

Abstract

Background: About 50% of patients in substance abuse treatment with a partner perpetrated and/or experienced intimate partner violence in the past year. To date, there are no screeners to identify both perpetrators and victims of partner intimate violence in a substance abusing population. We developed a 4 item screening instrument for this purpose, the Jellinek Inventory for assessing Partner Violence (J-IPV). Important strengths of the J-IPV are that it takes only 2 minutes to administer and is easy to use and to score.

Methods: To investigate the validity of the J-IPV, two independent studies were conducted including 98 and 99 participants, respectively. Aim of the second study was to cross-validate findings from the first study. Psychometric properties of the J-IPV were determined by calculating sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value, and positive and negative likelihood ratio's by comparing J-IPV outcomes to outcomes on the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales ('gold standard'). Also, receiver operator characteristics (ROC)-curves were determined to weight sensitivity and specificity as a result of different J-IPV cutoffs, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated.

Results: Results of the first study demonstrated that the J-IPV possesses good psychometric properties to detect perpetrators and victims of any as well as severe intimate partner violence. Results from the second study replicated findings from the first study.

Conclusions: We recommend administering the J-IPV to patients entering substance abuse treatment. If perpetrators and victims of partner violence are identified, action can be taken to stop IPV perpetration and arrange help for victims, for example by offering perpetrators treatment or by providing safety planning or advocacy interventions to victims.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Crime Victims*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Spouse Abuse / prevention & control*
  • Substance-Related Disorders
  • Violence / prevention & control*
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

The present study is supported by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) by the Academy Professorship awarded to Paul Emmelkamp. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.