Klinik Psikiyatri Dergisi (Jun 2023)
The relationships between intimate partner violence and attachment, personality features, and early maladaptive schemas
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The literature shows that attachment styles, personality features, childhood maltreatment, cognitive schemas, and various socioeconomic and clinical issues can play an important role in intimate partner violence (IPV). This study investigated the relationship of IPV with attachment styles, schema domains, and personality beliefs in a treatment-seeking women group. METHODS: The participants were 75 women who presented to a psychiatric outpatient clinic and endorsed experiencing IPV during the previous year. We conducted a psychiatric evaluation and administered Young Schema Inventory-Short Form, Personal Belief Questionnaire-Short Form, Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Conflict Tactics Scale-2, and Experiences in Close Relationships-II. We performed correlation analyses and a stepwise regression analysis to determine the variables that affect IPV. A mediator analysis was performed to evaluate the role played by schema domains and personality beliefs in attachment styles and IPV. RESULTS: Different levels of relationships were found between IPV and an anxious attachment style, some schema domains and personality beliefs. There was a relationship between an individual's negotiation attitude and the other-directedness schema domain. We found that attachment styles, schema domains, and personality beliefs could explain 7% to 32% of IPV behaviors. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: When working with couples suffering from violence in their relationship, evaluating attachment and focusing on personality features and schemas may provide new insights to direct the therapy process. This data, supporting the role of personality beliefs and schemas, will be very useful for clinicians working with cognitive behavioral therapy or schema-therapy, which are becoming increasingly common in the field of psychiatry.
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