Gender Differences in Relations Between Social Information Processing, PTSD Symptoms, and Intimate Partner Violence

Objective: Prior research indicates a connection between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social information processing (SIP) cognitive biases, and use of intimate partner violence (IPV) by men. However, little to no work has examined gender differences together with dyadic-level factors for these associations. Method: We used a dyadic actor-partner interdependence model (APIM) framework to examine these associations across women and men in a community sample of 73 couples. Questionnaires assessing actor- and partner-reported PTSD symptoms and IPV were used, as well as the laboratory-based Articulated Thoughts in Simulated Situations protocol to examine cognitive biases via participant responses to anger-provoking relationship scenarios. Results: Overall, the APIM model showed a higher fit level compared to the unconstrained dyadic model, suggesting that men and women responded equally as actors and as partners. Results indicated an indirect actor to actor effect, such that PTSD symptoms had an indirect effect on physical IPV via cognitive biases, b = 0.006, p <.05, 95% CI [0.001, 0.013]. In addition, the actor to actor effect of PTSD on psychological IPV through cognitive biases was significant, b = 0.002, p <.01, 95% CI [0.001, 0.040]. The actor to partner effect from PTSD to physical, psychological, and injurious IPV through cognitive biases was found, b = 0.006, p <.05, 95% CI [0.001, 0.0012]; b = 0.002, p <.05, 95% CI [0.000, 0.004]; b = 0.008, p <.05, 95% CI [0.002, 0.0015], respectively. Conclusions: Findings from multivariate models among civilian couples emphasize that PTSD symptoms may affect one's own IPV and their partner's IPV via cognitive biases regardless of gender, suggesting the importance of trauma-informed interventions that address biased social information processing.