It Takes Two: Intimate Partner Violence According to Both Partners in Young Adult ADHD Couples.

OBJECTIVE

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been shown to increase the risk of young adults perpetrating and being victims of intimate partner violence (IPV). However, research has yet to examine the IPV experiences of both dyad members where one or both partners has ADHD, and how those experiences differ from couples including partners without ADHD.

METHODS

41 "ADHD couples" (m age = 22.7 years), where one (n = 33) or both (n = 8) dyad members had ADHD, and 28 "Non-ADHD couples" (m age = 23.4 years), where both dyad members did not have ADHD, participated. Both partners reported on the frequency they perpetrated and were victims of psychological and physical IPV.

RESULTS

Both partners in ADHD couples reported perpetrating more psychological and physical IPV than dyad members in Non-ADHD couples. Partners in ADHD couples also reported being victims of IPV more than partners in Non-ADHD couples.

CONCLUSIONS

The risk of IPV perpetration in young adult couples with ADHD appears to be a two-way street. Research is needed to examine possible explanations for this pattern of reciprocal IPV, including mutual ADHD symptoms and related behavior (e.g., alcohol intoxication).