Neurocognitive Performance Predicts Future Partner Violence Among US Iraq- and Afghanistan-Deployed Army Soldiers and Veterans

Objective: Intimate partner violence (IPV) constitutes a major U.S. national health concern and disproportionately affects military families. Prior research, which has been conducted primarily in civilian populations, suggests that relative neurocognitive weaknesses may increase risk for IPV. This prospective study examined the associations between postdeployment neurocognitive performance and subsequent IPV (5-13 years later) among warzone veterans in the context of psychological health and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Method: Participants were 217 warzone veterans from a nationally dispersed sample of service members and veterans who had previously deployed to the Iraq war zone and their intimate partners. Warzone veterans had previously completed performance-based neurocognitive assessments at a postdeployment assessment. An average of 8 years later, participants completed structured psychiatric interviews and psychometric surveys assessing TBI history, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, alcohol use, and IPV perpetration. Results: Regression analyses revealed that relatively greater psychopathology and history of TBI were significantly associated with more frequent warzone veteran IPV psychological perpetration. Furthermore, relatively poorer postdeployment neurocognitive performance predicted higher subsequent psychological and physical IPV perpetration, adjusting for demographics, psychological health, and TBI. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the importance of identifying both psychological/behavioral and neurocognitive correlates of IPV among warzone veterans. An integrative understanding of IPV risk can help inform both IPV prevention and treatment efforts for warzone veterans.