Citation

Bigras N, Godbout N, Hébert M, Runtz MG, Daspe MÈ. Child Abuse Negl. 2015; 50: 85-93.

Affiliation

Université du Québec à Montréal, Département de sexologie, 455 René-Levesque Est, Montréal, QC, Canada H2L 4Y2.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.chiabu.2015.07.009

PMID

26220914

Abstract

The empirical literature indicates that childhood emotional abuse (CEA) produces long lasting impairments in interpersonal relatedness and identity, often referred to as self-capacities. CEA has also been shown to negatively impact couple functioning. This study examined the role of identity and interpersonal conflicts in mediating the relationship between CEA and women's report of couple adjustment among 184 French Canadian women from the general population. Path analysis revealed that CEA was related to poorer couple adjustment through its impact on dysfunctional self-capacities and the experience of greater conflicts in relationships.

FINDINGS highlight the importance of assessing CEA to better explain couple adjustment in women with relationship difficulties and provide potential intervention targets based on the self-capacities framework.

Language: en