title: Attachment Anxiety as a Risk Factor for Subsequent Intimate Partner Violence Victimization: A 6-Month Prospective Study Among College Women.
abstract: Recent research suggests that individuals with attachment difficulties are at increased risk for experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization. However, most studies conducted on this topic have been cross-sectional, leaving it unclear whether attachment difficulties actually precede this type of violence. The current 6-month prospective study examined the relation between adult attachment and subsequent IPV victimization in a sample of 133 college women. At Time 1, participants completed the Experiences in Close Relationships (ECR) questionnaire to assess the two underlying orthogonal dimensions of adult attachment (anxiety and avoidance) and the Traumatic Life Events Questionnaire (TLEQ) to assess prior exposure to interpersonal traumatic events. At follow-up, participants completed a modified version of the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS-2) to assess IPV victimization. Results indicated that attachment anxiety was associated with an increased risk for experiencing physical assault during the 6-month follow-up period, even after statistically adjusting for prior interpersonal trauma. In contrast, attachment avoidance was unrelated to subsequent IPV victimization.
authors.affiliation: 1 California State University, East Bay, Hayward, CA, USA.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Sandberg
authors.affiliation: 1 California State University, East Bay, Hayward, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Christine E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Valdez
authors.affiliation: 1 California State University, East Bay, Hayward, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Engle
authors.affiliation: 1 California State University, East Bay, Hayward, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Ekta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Menghrajani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D058445:Bullying / Q000523:psychology; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D020010:Heterosexuality / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D000066511:Intimate Partner Violence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: attachment; interpersonal violence; intimate partner violence; relationship violence