LE3 .A278 2005

2005

Price, Lisa

Acadia University

Bachelor of Arts

Honours

Psychology

Psychology

Previous research indicates that attachment theory may play a role in how women perceive themselves and their partners in abusive relationships, and that attachment style may contribute to women’s experience of Traumatic Bonding and the Stockholm Syndrome. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to explore the role of attachment in abusive relationships. Eighty-two female university students were recruited to complete a number of selfreport questionnaires. These questionnaires consisted of scales measuring physically aggressive behaviour in relationships, attachment style, self-esteem, attachment to the abuser, identification with the abuser, and high hope for change. Participants who were currently in a heterosexual relationship and had experienced at least one incident of physically aggressive behaviour were classified as having either a positive or negative model of self, as well as either a positive or negative model of others. Participants were also classified as belonging to one of four attachment styles: secure, dismissing, preoccupied, or fearful. Contrary to predictions, women with preoccupied or fearful attachment styles were not represented more within physically aggressive relationships than secure or dismissing attachment styles. Further, individuals in physically aggressive relationships with a negative view of self did not have lower self-esteem than those with a positive view of self. As predicted, those with a positive model of others were more attached to the abuser than those with a negative model of others. However, contrary to predictions, they were not shown to have higher identification with the abuser or higher hopes for change.

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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:438