Citation

Henderson AJZ, Bartholomew K, Trinke SJ, Kwong MJ. J. Fam. Violence 2005; 20(4): 219-230.

Affiliation

Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada; University of Manitoba, Dauphin, Manitoba, Canada; Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, V5A 1S6

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10896-005-5985-y

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Intimate relationship abuse can be understood by considering two critical tenets of attachment. First, attachment fulfills a basic need for survival. Thus, the tenacity of the attachment bond is independent of relationship quality. Second, individuals whose attachment needs have been frustrated may strike out violently to regain proximity to the perceived loss of an intimate partner. We examined how individual differences in attachment were associated with women's and men's relationship abuse. A telephone survey assessed levels of psychological and physical abuse in 1249 Vancouver residents. Of these, 128 completed an attachment interview exploring their interpersonal relationships. Hierarchical regressions revealed that attachment variables contributed significant variance to prediction of both receipt and perpetration of psychological and physical abuse, with preoccupied attachment acting as an independent predictor. There was no evidence that gender moderated these associations. The findings suggest that attachment preoccupation in either partner may increase likelihood of abuse in couples.