Psychosocial Mediators Between Intimate Partner Violence and Alcohol Abuse in Low-Income African American Women

Intimate partner violence (IPV) exposure can increase alcohol use. Although African Americans use less alcohol compared with European Americans, African American women experience disparate rates of IPV, potentially intensifying their alcohol abuse. We used data from 171 African American women to test if IPV was related to alcohol abuse and if psychosocial factors—loneliness, embarrassment, fear of harm, hope, social support, childcare needs, and finances—mediated this link. IPV and alcohol abuse were related, and several factors were related to either IPV or alcohol abuse. Social support was related to both, and it mediated the IPV–alcohol abuse link, explaining women’s alcohol abuse relating to IPV.