Psychoactive Substance Use and Dating Violence in A Nigerian Sample

Introduction: Dating violence (DV) involves a pattern of coercive, manipulative behaviour that one partner exerts over the other for the purpose of establishing and maintaining power and control (Jane and Erica, 2006). DV is not limited to a specific demographic, it is a significant problem not only because of its alarming prevalence and physical and mental health consequences (Callahan, Tolman, & Saunders, 2003), but also because it occurs at a life stage when interactional patterns are learned that may carry over into adulthood. Use of alcohol and drugs has been consistently found to be strongly associated with inflicting and being the recipient of DV for both genders (Silverman et al, 2001; Raiford et al, 2002). The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between psychoactive substance use and dating violence among a sample of students of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

Methods: Using a cross sectional descriptive study, a questionnaire containing a semi structured socio-demographic data schedule, the conflict tactic scale and the AUDIT/DUDITwas administered to respondents who fulfilled the study inclusion criteria and gave written consent.

Results: There were 261 respondents. The prevalence of DV in the previous twelve months was 34%, the prevalence of alcohol use among the respondents was 32% and the prevalence of use of other psychoactive substances (including cannabis, opioids and analgesics) was 20%. Ten percent of the respondents scored above the threshold for hazardous use of alcohol on the AUDIT scale while 13% scored above the threshold for hazardous use of other substances on the DUDIT scale.

Bivariate analysis revealed that factors associated with the hazardous use of alcohol included violence in the dating relationship, being male, sexual intercourse being a part of the relationship and experience of childhood physical and sexual violence. On multivariate analysis, violence in the dating relationship increased the risk of hazardous use of psychoactive substances (other than alcohol) by respondents by five fold (OR 4.63, 95% CI 1.1, 20.2) while sexual intercourse being a part of the relationship increased the risk of hazardous use of alcohol by nine fold (OR 8.83, 95% CI 1.4, 56.7).

Conclusions: These findings have significant implications for prevention efforts concerning DV and psychoactive substance use in Nigeria. Studies have consistently shown the associations between psychoactive substance use/misuse and violence in intimate relationships and it is no different in the Nigerian environment thus prevention efforts should also focus on reducing the prevalence of psychoactive substance use disorders in this context for overall effectiveness of other prevention strategies.