Childhood Emotional Abuse and Attachment Processes in the Dyadic Adjustment of Dating Couples

In an effort to improve understanding of the mechanisms that link early maltreatment to later outcomes, this study investigated the mediation effects of adult attachment processes on the association between childhood emotional abuse and later romantic relationships among heterosexual couples. Colleg...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of counseling psychology 2011-01, Vol.58 (1), p.126-138
Main Authors: Riggs, Shelley A, Cusimano, Angela M, Benson, Karen M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adjustment
Adolescent
Adult
Adults
Anxiety
Attachment
Attachment Behavior
Biological and medical sciences
Child
Child Abuse
Child Abuse - psychology
Child Development
Childhood abuse
College Students
Correlation
Counseling psychology
Couple and family
Couples
Courtship
Dating
Dating (Social)
Dyadic Adjustment Scale
Emotional Abuse
Emotional Development
Emotions
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Human
Humans
Hypothesis Testing
Intimacy
Male
Medical sciences
Memory
Models, Psychological
Personal relationships
Personality Inventory - statistics & numerical data
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Psychometrics
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Questionnaires
Reactive Attachment Disorder - diagnosis
Reactive Attachment Disorder - psychology
Relationship Quality
Romantic relationships
Social psychology
Social Support
Victimology
Young Adult
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Description
Summary:In an effort to improve understanding of the mechanisms that link early maltreatment to later outcomes, this study investigated the mediation effects of adult attachment processes on the association between childhood emotional abuse and later romantic relationships among heterosexual couples. College students and their dating partners (N = 310; 155 couples) completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Experiences in Close Relationship Scale, and Dyadic Adjustment Scale. Using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (Kenny, Kashy, & Cook, 2006), multilevel modeling results indicated that memories of childhood emotional abuse reported by both students and their partners were significantly associated with attachment strategies, as well as romantic relationship quality. Findings supported hypothesized mediation effects of attachment anxiety and avoidance.
ISSN:0022-0167
1939-2168
DOI:10.1037/a0021319