Abstract

The current study investigated how three distinct types of childhood abuse—witnessing of parental domestic violence, experiencing physical abuse and total in-home violence, and experiencing sexual abuse—predicted partner reports of relational violence through the mediating factors self-perceptions of attachment and partner reports of relational aggression. The study used paired dyadic data from 1,658 couples who had completed the RELATionship Evaluation (RELATE). The Family Violence, the Brief Accessibility and Responsiveness, Couples Relational Aggression and Victimization, and the Conflict Tactics scales were the measures used. Data was analyzed by using structural equation modeling to estimate an actor-partner interdependence model exploring these relationships. Results showed only female childhood sexual abuse had direct associations with male relational violence; however, several mediating paths were identified.

Degree

PhD

College and Department

Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Marriage and Family Therapy

Rights

http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2016-11-01

Document Type

Dissertation

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd8930

Keywords

childhood abuse, relational violence, attachment behaviors, relational aggression

Language

english

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