Citation

Andrews NCZ, Motz M, Bondi BC, Leslie M, Pepler DJ. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019; 16(23): e16234861.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, MDPI: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)

DOI

10.3390/ijerph16234861

PMID

31816837

Abstract

Substance use among women is a major public health concern. This review article takes a developmental-relational approach to examine processes through which early relational trauma and violence in relationships may lead to substance use. We examine how early exposure to violence in relationships can impact neurological development, specifically through interference with physiological mechanisms (e.g., the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis), brain structure and functioning (e.g., the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex), and neuropsychological development (e.g., executive functioning and emotion regulation) across the lifespan. Further, we discuss the impact of exposure to violence on the development of relational capacity, including attachment, internal working models, and subsequent interpersonal relationships across the lifespan, and how these developmental pathways can lead to continued problematic substance use in women.

Language: en

Keywords

developmental-relational; domestic violence; gender-specific approach; interpersonal violence; intervention; substance use; women