Citation

Webermann AR, Murphy CM. Violence Against Women 2019; 25(2): 148-166.

Affiliation

University of Maryland, Baltimore County, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1077801218766628

PMID

29663846

Abstract

The present study assesses childhood abuse/neglect as a predictor of dissociative intimate partner violence (IPV) among 118 partner-abusive men. One third (36%) endorsed dissociative IPV, most commonly losing control (18%), surroundings seeming unreal (16%), feeling someone other than oneself is aggressing (16%), and seeing oneself from a distance aggressing (10%). Childhood physical abuse/neglect predicted IPV-specific derealization/depersonalization, aggressive self-states, and flashbacks to past violence. Childhood emotional abuse/neglect predicted derealization/depersonalization, blackouts, and flashbacks. Childhood sexual abuse uniquely predicted amnesia. Other potential traumas did not predict dissociative IPV, suggesting dissociative IPV is influenced by trauma-based emotion dysregulation wherein childhood abuse/neglect survivors disconnect from their abusive behavior.

Language: en

Keywords

childhood abuse and neglect; dissociation; domestic violence; intimate partner violence; trauma