Childhood Physical and Verbal Mistreatment, Psychological Symptoms, and Substance Use: Sex Differences and the Moderating Role of Attachment

• NCJ Number: 228684
• Journal: Journal of Family Violence Volume: 24 Issue: 8 Dated: November 2009 Pages: 589-596
• Author(s): Duane F. Reinert; Carla E. Edwards
• Date Published: November 2009
• Length: 8 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A nonclinical sample of 272 university students was tested to determine whether there were sex differences related to psychological symptoms and substance use stemming from childhood physical and verbal mistreatment, as well as the moderating role of having a secure attachment figure.

Abstract

Consistent with both theory and research (Bacon and Richardson, 2001 and Howe, 2005), this study found that verbal and physical childhood mistreatment generally had an adverse impact on attachment dynamics, but with differences related to gender. Although there was a similar pattern of links among various forms of mistreatment and attachment to fathers for both males and females, this was not the case for attachment to mothers. In females, but not in males, there was a significant positive relationship between avoidant attachment to the mother and physical mistreatment. Also, the relationship between verbal mistreatment and avoidant attachment to the mother was much stronger for the females than for the males. Researchers had predicted that if one parent had perpetrated either verbal or physical abuse, then attachment to the nonabusing parent would moderate the effects of the abuse. There was some support for this hypothesis, but only for the mother-daughter attachment. When the father verbally mistreated a daughter, the attachment to the mother moderated psychological symptoms of depression and sexual problems. There was no evidence that attachment to the mother was an effective moderator for the males if they were mistreated verbally or physically by their fathers. There was no evidence of the father-son or father-daughter attachment as a moderator of any of the mental health effects of mistreatment by the mother. Instruments administered to the sample collected data on demographics, attachment to parents, psychological symptoms, substance use, and childhood mistreatment. 3 tables and 30 references