From trauma to aggression: an empirical study on the relationship between interpersonal trauma, attachment styles and aggressive tendencies among adults

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between traumatic experiences, insecure attachment styles and psychiatric symptoms in adulthood. Self-report measures concerning trauma, attachment styles and psychopathology were administered to 59 adults (33.9% males, 66.1% females) ranging in age from 18 to 61 years old. Results showed that traumatic experiences were associated with insecure attachment styles and psychopathology, in particular concerning aggressive tendencies. Findings of the study suggest that the exploration of past experiences and current attachment relationships, in terms of interpersonal functioning, may be crucial for understanding aggressiveness.

Keywords

• aggressiveness
• attachment styles
• psychopathology
• trauma.