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
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

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)