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The Impact of Child Abuse Severity on Adult Attachment Anxiety and Avoidance in College Women: The Role of Emotion Dysregulation

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Abstract

Recent evidence suggests a significant and unique effect of child abuse experiences on attachment-related anxiety and avoidance in adult romantic relationships, although mechanisms underlying this relationship have yet to be identified. The current study examined the relation between three forms of child abuse (sexual, physical, and psychological) severity, emotion dysregulation, and attachment-related anxiety and avoidance among 830 college women. Results indicated that emotion dysregulation significantly mediated the relationship between child abuse severity and attachment-related anxiety and avoidance. Future directions for research and implications for intervention are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

Dr. Messman-Moore would like to acknowledge the support of the O’Toole Family whose endowment provided support for this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Miami University, 90 N. Patterson Avenue, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA

    Hannah C. Espeleta, Sarah Palasciano-Barton & Terri L. Messman-Moore

  2. Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA

    Hannah C. Espeleta

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  1. Hannah C. Espeleta
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  2. Sarah Palasciano-Barton
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  3. Terri L. Messman-Moore
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Correspondence to Terri L. Messman-Moore.

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Espeleta, H.C., Palasciano-Barton, S. & Messman-Moore, T.L. The Impact of Child Abuse Severity on Adult Attachment Anxiety and Avoidance in College Women: The Role of Emotion Dysregulation. J Fam Viol 32, 399–407 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-016-9816-0

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