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Childhood Emotional Abuse, Adult Attachment, and Depression as Predictors of Relational Adjustment and Psychological Aggression

NCJ Number
229838
Journal
Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma Volume: 19 Issue: 1 Dated: January-February 2010 Pages: 75-104
Author(s)
Shelley A. Riggs; Patricia Kaminski
Date Published
January 2010
Length
30 pages
Annotation
This study explored the associations between emotional maltreatment in childhood and later adult relational outcomes.
Abstract
This study examined the theoretically expected contributions of early emotional abuse, adult attachment, and depression to several aspects of romantic relationship functioning. College students in dating relationships (N = 285) completed an online survey, including measures of childhood emotional maltreatment, adult attachment style, psychological distress, and romantic relationships. Results indicated that childhood emotional maltreatment directly predicted insecure adult attachment. In the full models, emotional maltreatment contributed to dyadic adjustment, but was not a significant predictor of psychological aggression or victimization. In contrast, depression accounted for the largest proportion of variance in the models for reported psychological aggression and victimization, but was nonsignificant for dyadic adjustment. Adult attachment style emerged as an important predictor of all three relationship constructs. Figure, tables, and references (Published Abstract)