(PS3-A20) Depression and Substance Use Among Women in the Community Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence

Women who experience intimate partner violence are at an increased risk for hazardous substance use compared to women without a history of intimate partner violence (Ehrensaft et al., 2006). Risk for hazardous substance use among women experiencing intimate partner violence may be further exacerbated by elevated depression symptoms (Carbone-López et al., 2006). However, past research in this area has relied on cross-sectional and correlation designs. Extending past research, the current study used experience sampling methods to assess the relation between depression severity and number of days of alcohol and drug use. Participants were 145 community women (M_age = 40.56, 40.3% white) who were experiencing physical or sexual intimate partner violence by their current male partner and using substances. Depression was assessed at baseline through a structured diagnostic interview. Surveys assessing alcohol and drug use three times a day for 30 days were conducted through interactive voice technology. Higher baseline depression symptom severity was significantly positively associated with greater number of days of illicit drug use (e.g., cocaine, heroin; B = .045, SD = 0.19), but not alcohol use, when controlling for age and race. Findings suggested that women who reported greater depression symptom severity at baseline were more likely to engage in more illicit drug use during the 30 days following the baseline session. Results from this study highlight the importance of assessing and targeting depression symptom severity among women in the community currently experiencing intimate partner violence and using substances, to inform treatment efforts for hazardous drug use.