Citation

Henderson AJZ, Bartholomew K, Dutton DG. J. Fam. Violence 1997; 12(2): 169-191.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B. C, VSA 1S6; Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B. C, V6T 1Z4

Copyright

(Copyright © 1997, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1023/A:1022836711637

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Working within an attachment perspective, we examined women's success at emotional separation from abusive partners. The attachment patterns of 63 abused women were assessed shortly after having left their abusive relationships. Six months later, their perceptions, feelings, and behaviors regarding the separation were assessed, to determine an overall level of separation resolution. As expected, attachment patterns associated with a negative self model were overrepresented (88% of the sample had a predominant pattern of fearful or preoccupied attachment). Further, preoccupation was associated with shorter relationship length, more frequent previous separations from the abusive relationship, continuing emotional involvement with partners after separation, and more frequent sexual contact with partners. These findings suggest that preoccupation may be a risk factor in successful separation resolution from abusive relationships.