NCJ Number
221129
Journal
Violence and Victims Volume: 22 Issue: 5 Dated: 2007 Pages: 577-600
Date Published
2007
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This study explored the role of early family environment and adult attachment style in explaining long-term outcomes among child abuse survivors.
Abstract
Results generally support the view that early family environment and adult attachment style contribute to psychological outcomes among adult trauma survivors. In addition, evidence emerged that bolstered the suggestion that adult attachment style mediated the relationship between some types of early family environments and later psychopathology. The study sheds new light on the role of family environment and adult romantic attachment in personality functioning and psychopathology among child abuse survivors. The study enhances the understanding of family and relationship factors that contribute to different psychopathological outcomes. A large body of evidence consistently indicates that adult survivors of physical, sexual, or psychological abuse in childhood are more likely than adults without a history of abuse to experience a wide range of psychological and personality dysfunction. However, not all abuse survivors suffer negative consequences. This study extends past research to an inpatient population and is the first to explore the combined contributions of early family characteristics and adult attachment style to specific clinical syndromes and personality disturbance. Eighty adult patients, the majority female, in a trauma treatment program were assessed for clinical diagnosis and administered a multiscale questionnaire. Tables, references