title: Intimate partner violence: relationships between alexithymia, depression, attachment styles, and coping strategies of battered women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  One of the most common forms of violence against women is the intimate partner violence (IPV). This term includes physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and controlling behaviors by an intimate partner.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This exploratory study investigates the relationship between alexithymia, adult attachment styles, depression, and coping strategies in a group of female victims of IPV and a control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 80 female victims of IPV with an age range from 18 years to 54 years (mean 31.62; standard deviation 9.81). The control group included 80 women with no history of IPV with an age range from 19 years to 37 years (mean 25.05; standard deviation 3.67).
  
  
  METHODS
  We administered the following self-report questionnaires: (i) 20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20); (ii) Coping Orientation Problems Experienced; (iii) Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)-II; and (iv) Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with control group, the IPV group showed higher mean scores on TAS-20 (52.9 vs. 41.1, P < 0.001) and BDI-II (19.50 vs. 9.95, P < 0.001). In both groups, we found significant correlations between BDI-II and TAS-20 total scores (P < 0.001) and between BDI-II and the following dimensions of ASQ: confidence (P < 0.001), discomfort with closeness (P = 0.002), relationships as secondary (P < 0.001), need for approval (P < 0.001), and preoccupation with relationships (P < 0.001). Differently from the control group, in the IPV group, social support correlated significantly and positively (P < 0.001) with the dimension preoccupation with relationships on ASQ, but not with the secure attachment style.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In comparison to the control group, alexithymia, depressive symptoms, and an insecure attachment style were negatively correlated with the ability to cope with stress for women in the IPV group.
authors.affiliation: Kore University of Enna, Enna, Enna, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Craparo
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gori
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Petruccelli
authors.forename: Vincenza
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cannella
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Simonelli
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000209:etiology*; D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009769:Object Attachment; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alexithymia; Attachment Style; Battered Women; Coping; Domestic Violence; Intimate Partner Violence