ABSTRACT
The central theme of this book relates to the overlap between relationship violence and substance use. As Wekerle and Wall (this volume) indicate, there is a strong link between substance use and violence in close relationships. Parents’ abuse of their children and adults’ abuse of an intimate partner both are associated with patterns of substance abuse. In this chapter we provide a developmental perspective on the association between relationship violence and substance use by examining the links between aggressive behaviors and substance use in early adolescence. We start by considering the scope of the overlapping problems of adolescent aggression and substance use, followed by a consideration of theoretical frameworks and empirical data on these problems, drawing upon findings from our own research program. We conclude by discussing implications and directions for future research.
