Attachment Style Predicts Domestic Violence

1998 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Holtzworth-Munroe ◽  
G. L. Stuart ◽  
G. Hutchinson
Keyword(s):  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Attachment Style

Female Domestic Violence Offenders: Their Attachment Security, Trauma Symptoms, and Personality Organization

2007 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 532-545 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Goldenson ◽  
Robert Geffner ◽  
Sharon L. Foster ◽  
Clark R. Clipson
Keyword(s):  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Attachment Style ◽  
Attachment Security ◽  
Psychological Treatment ◽  
Trauma Symptoms ◽  
Trauma Symptom Inventory ◽  
Personality Organization ◽  
Trauma Symptom ◽  
Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory ◽  
Personality Psychopathology

Unlike male domestic violence offenders, female domestic violence offenders have traditionally been overlooked in research and theory, despite the fact that females also have high rates of domestic violence perpetration. Towards the aim of extending extant research on male and female pepetrators of domestic violence, we examined attachment style, trauma symptoms, and personality organization in 33 female offenders receiving mandated treatment for domestic violence. These offenders were compared to 32 nonoffending women receiving psychological treatment. The Experiences in Close Relationships Revised (ECR-Revised) was used to examine adult attachment, the Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI) was used to examine trauma symptomology, and finally, the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory III (MCMI-III) was used to examine cluster B personality traits. Analyses indicated that female domestic violence offenders reported less attachment security, more trauma-related symptoms, and more personality psychopathology (Antisocial, Borderline, and Dependent Subscales) than did nonoffender clinical comparison women.

Attachment Security Priming and Domestic Violence: Augmenting Biopsychosocial Treatment of Perpetrators

Partner Abuse ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 202-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth Corvo ◽  
Daniel Sonkin ◽  
Morgan Cooney
Keyword(s):  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Attachment Theory ◽  
Attachment Style ◽  
Attachment Security ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Attachment Anxiety ◽  
Secure Attachment ◽  
Psychological Pain ◽  
Relationship Expectations ◽  
Funding Environment

In spite of an inhospitable policy and funding environment for domestic violence perpetrator treatment, efforts in theory development and practice innovation have persisted. Among them are efforts to understand and treat domestic violence using attachment theory. General principles of attachment theory, as well as concepts more directly connected to violence between intimates and other family members, suggest approaches to working with perpetrators that show promise for emotional growth and behavioral change. One such approach is attachment security priming involving the clinical or experimental activation or evocation of secure attachment style through the use of various prompts or stimuli. Evidence supporting positive results from attachment security priming with potential for addressing domestic violence includes: diminished fear reactions, improved creative problem-solving, reduced psychological pain, persistence in managing uncomfortable feelings, more positive relationship expectations, less attachment anxiety, and modulation of threat-related amygdala reactivity.

scholarly journals Emotional Functioning, Attachment Style, and Attributions as Predictors of Child Abuse Potential in Domestic Violence Victims

2006 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina M. Rodriguez
Keyword(s):  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Child Abuse ◽  
Attachment Style ◽  
Emotional Functioning ◽  
Spousal Abuse ◽  
Transitional Housing ◽  
Abuse Potential ◽  
Child Abuse Potential ◽  
Domestic Violence Victims ◽  
Abuse Risk

To explore cognitive and emotional factors that may exacerbate child-abuse potential among domestic violence victims, 80 participants reported on their depression, hopelessness, anxiety, and anger as well as their attachment style and attributional style. Increased emotional difficulties as well as insecure attachment styles were significantly positively correlated with child abuse potential, although depression and anxiety were the strongest predictors. Externalizing blame for the spousal abuse was not associated with abuse risk. Women residing in shelters demonstrated significantly greater abuse risk than those in transitional housing programs, suggesting that greater temporal proximity to the spousal abuse may in part account for the increased abuse potential. Depression and hopelessness, however, appeared particularly relevant to increased abuse risk in domestic violence victims in the transitional housing system. Implications of these findings for working with battered women in terms of their emotional functioning and attachment style are discussed.

Bindungsstile bei Probanden mit pathologischem Internetgebrauch

2017 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-52
Author(s):  
Maren Greschner ◽  
Jörg Michael Müller ◽  
Katajun Lindenberg ◽  
Corinna Reck ◽  
Georg Romer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Attachment Style ◽  
Internet Addiction

Zusammenfassung. Zielsetzung: In der Entstehung von pathologischem Internetgebrauch (PIG) wird diskutiert, ob das Internetverhalten als Surrogat zur Befriedigung von Bindungsbedürfnissen dienen kann. Dabei wird angenommen, dass die unerfüllten Bindungsbedürfnisse aus unsicheren Bindungsstilen resultieren. Die vorliegende Pilotstudie untersuchte den Zusammenhang zwischen PIG und Bindungsstilen. Methodik: Bei 10 Probanden mit PIG und 10 Probanden einer geschlechts-, alters- und bildungsgematchten Kontrollgruppe erfolgte erstmals eine interviewgestützte Erhebung des Bindungssystems mit dem Attachment Style Interview durch zwei geschulte Rater. Die Definition des PIG erfolgte kategorial mit dem Internetsucht-Interview (Distinguishing Characteristics of Internet Addiction) und dimensional durch die Skalen zum Onlinesucht- und Computerspielverhalten. Ergebnis: Probanden mit PIG wiesen signifikant häufiger unsichere und desorganisierte sowie seltener sichere Bindungsstile auf als gesunde Kontrollprobanden [χ²(2) = 7.505; p = .023]. Schlussfolgerung: Unsichere und desorganisierte Bindungsstile sollten in der multifaktoriellen Ätiopathogenese des PIG als Risikofaktor berücksichtigt werden.

Effects of Attachment Styles on the Experience of Equity in Heterosexual Couples Relationships

2003 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 298-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ina Grau ◽  
Jörg Doll
Keyword(s):  
Attachment Theory ◽  
Attachment Style ◽  
Intimate Relationships ◽  
Attachment Styles ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
The Other ◽  
Heterosexual Couples ◽  
Secure Attachment ◽  
Dependent Variables ◽  
Equity Ratio

Abstract. Employing one correlational and two experimental studies, this paper examines the influence of attachment styles (secure, anxious, avoidant) on a person’s experience of equity in intimate relationships. While one experimental study employed a priming technique to stimulate the different attachment styles, the other involved vignettes describing fictitious characters with typical attachment styles. As the specific hypotheses about the single equity components have been developed on the basis of the attachment theory, the equity ratio itself and the four equity components (own outcome, own input, partner’s outcome, partner’s input) are analyzed as dependent variables. While partners with a secure attachment style tend to describe their relationship as equitable (i.e., they give and take extensively), partners who feel anxious about their relationship generally see themselves as being in an inequitable, disadvantaged position (i.e., they receive little from their partner). The hypothesis that avoidant partners would feel advantaged as they were less committed was only supported by the correlational study. Against expectations, the results of both experiments indicate that avoidant partners generally see themselves (or see avoidant vignettes) as being treated equitably, but that there is less emotional exchange than is the case with secure partners. Avoidant partners give and take less than secure ones.

Emotions Under the Skin

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 161-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catarina Silva ◽  
Ana Cláudia Ferreira ◽  
Isabel Soares ◽  
Francisco Esteves
Keyword(s):  
Attachment Style ◽  
Attachment Styles ◽  
The Other ◽  
Regulatory Function ◽  
Physiological Reactivity ◽  
Emotional Stimuli ◽  
Skin Conductance Responses ◽  
Lower Accuracy ◽  
Emotional Pictures ◽  
Valence And Arousal

Abstract. The present study examined physiological reactivity to emotional stimuli as a function of attachment style. Skin conductance responses (SCRs) and heart rate (HR) changes were simultaneously recorded while participants engaged in a visual attentional task. The task included positive, neutral, and negative emotional pictures, and required the identification of a target (neutral picture rotated 90° to the left or right), among a stream of pictures in which an emotional distracter (positive or negative) was presented. Participants additionally rated each of the emotional distracters for valence and arousal. Behavioral results on the attentional task showed that positive pictures facilitated overall target detection for all participants, compared to negative and neutral pictures, and that anxiously attached participants had significantly lower accuracy scores, relative to the other groups. Affective ratings indicated that positive pictures were rated as being more pleasant than negative ones, although no differences were found in HR changes to picture valence. In contrast, negative pictures were evaluated as being highly arousing. Consistent with this, negative pictures elicited larger SCRs in both insecure anxious and avoidant groups, especially for the anxious while the secure group showed SCRs unaffected by stimuli’s arousal. Present results show that individuals with different attachment styles reveal distinct patterns of attentional bias, appraisal, and physiological reactivity toward emotionally arousing stimuli. These findings further highlight the regulatory function of the attachment system.

Psychological Adjustment of Melanoma Survivors

2006 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 172-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Hamama-Raz ◽  
Z. Solomon
Keyword(s):  
Malignant Melanoma ◽  
Marital Status ◽  
Psychological Adjustment ◽  
Attachment Style ◽  
Cognitive Appraisal ◽  
Traumatic Events ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Personal Resources ◽  
Secure Attachment ◽  
Ample Evidence

The study examines the contributions of hardiness, attachment style, and cognitive appraisal to the psychological adjustment of 300 survivors of malignant melanoma: The findings show that the survivors' adjustment is by far better predicted by their personal resources and cognitive appraisal than by their sociodemographic features (with the exception of marital status) and features of their illness. Of all the variables, their adjustment was best predicted by their attachment style, with secure attachment making for greater well-being and less distress. These findings add to the ample evidence that personal resources help persons to cope with stressful or traumatic events.

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