title: The role of attachment in the relationship between child maltreatment and later emotional and behavioral functioning.
abstract: The experience of childhood maltreatment is an important predictor of unfavorable emotional and behavioral outcomes. Because little research examined explanatory variables in the relationship between childhood maltreatment experiences and later outcomes, this study examined the role that attachment serves in this relationship. Four hundred twenty-four participants completed questionnaires assessing the variables of interest for this study. Results indicated that both childhood maltreatment experiences (particularly emotional abuse) and attachment (particularly to mothers and peers) are significant predictors of later emotional and behavioral outcomes. Further, attachment contributed unique and significant variance to the relationship between childhood maltreatment experiences and later outcomes. Such findings suggested that secure attachment may serve as a protective factor against maladaptive emotional and behavioral outcomes as children reach emerging adulthood, even in the context of childhood maltreatment experiences. The importance of studying the relationships among these variables is discussed.
authors.affiliation: University of Central Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lowell
authors.affiliation: University of Central Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Kimberly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Renk
authors.affiliation: University of Central Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Amanda Havill
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Adgate
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009769:Object Attachment; D010379:Peer Group; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Attachment; Child maltreatment; Emerging adults; Emotional abuse; Externalizing problems; Internal working models; Internalizing problems; Trauma