Control in Intimate Relationships: An Exploration of Insecure Attachment Styles, Emotion Dysregulation, and Shame-Proneness

Article

Walls, Kylie L., March, Evita and Marrington, Jessica Z.. 2024. "Control in Intimate Relationships: An Exploration of Insecure Attachment Styles, Emotion Dysregulation, and Shame-Proneness." Journal of Family Violence. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-024-00784-y
Article Title

Control in Intimate Relationships: An Exploration of Insecure Attachment Styles, Emotion Dysregulation, and Shame-Proneness

ERA Journal ID6411
Article CategoryArticle
AuthorsWalls, Kylie L., March, Evita and Marrington, Jessica Z.
Journal TitleJournal of Family Violence
Number of Pages15
Year2024
PublisherSpringer
Place of PublicationUnited States
ISSN0885-7482
1573-2851
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-024-00784-y
Web Address (URL)https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10896-024-00784-y
Abstract

Purpose
In the extant literature on Intimate Partner Violence, control in intimate relationships remains relatively under-explored. In the current study, we explore the utility of insecure attachment styles (i.e., anxious attachment and avoidant attachment), emotion dysregulation, and shame-proneness to predict the perpetration of control in intimate relationships. Further, we explore the direct and indirect association between insecure attachment and control through emotion dysregulation and shame-proneness. We hypothesised all variables would be positive predictors of control in intimate relationships and that high insecure attachment would be related to more emotion dysregulation and shame-proneness, which in turn would relate to more control.

Method
Participants (N = 328; 67.4% women; Mage = 34.4 years, SD = 10.95) completed an online questionnaire that included measures of attachment, shame-proneness, emotion dysregulation, and controlling behaviors in intimate relationships.

Results
Hypotheses were partially supported. Higher anxious attachment, avoidant attachment, and emotion dysregulation predicted more control in intimate relationships. Both anxious and avoidant attachment related to higher emotion dysregulation, which in turn related to more perpetration of control in intimate relationships. Interestingly, anxious attachment related to increased shame, which related to less control in intimate relationships.

Conclusion
By clarifying the role of anxious attachment, avoidant attachment, and emotion dysregulation as critical elements in the perpetration of control in intimate relationships, our study makes valuable contributions to understanding the underlying mechanisms contributing to this significant societal problem. We propose that future research exploring control in intimate relationships seeks to explore the utility of interventions targeting attachment insecurity.

KeywordsControl; Intimate relationships; Intimate partner violence; Insecure attachment; Emotion dysregulation; Shame
Contains Sensitive ContentDoes not contain sensitive content
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020520199. Applied and developmental psychology not elsewhere classified
520505. Social psychology
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Byline AffiliationsCharles Sturt University
Federation University
Centre for Health Research
School of Psychology and Wellbeing
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