title: Abuse and violence in intimate adult relationships: new perspectives from attachment theory.
abstract: Previous attachment writing about violence between intimate adult partners has implicated the role of insecure attachment. This paper proposes that insecure attachment is not sufficient to explain intimate partner violence. Instead, it is suggested that recent evidence leads to the conclusion that such violent behavior is best explained in terms of attachment disorganization, a more profound form of relational insecurity. We discuss the contributions of this perspective to intervention.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: George
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000786:Anger; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009769:Object Attachment; D011613:Psychotherapy; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology*