Interpersonal control in dating relationships: how is it affected by trust in one's partner and adult attachment style?

The U.S. spends billions of dollars each year treating victims of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse. A majority of college women (up to 75 percent) reported having experienced psychological or emotional abuse. These acts are intended to demean, criticize, and dominate one's partner. Control is one facet of psychological abuse and is intended to regulate one's partner. Control and psychological abuse are related to numerous negative outcomes in its victims. This study examines the influence of attachment style and trust on one's use of IPC in a relationship. One hundred forty seven participants were recruited (1) via a social networking website and (2) via their enrollment in Essentials of Psychology as a Rowan undergraduate student. Participants completed the Experiences in Close Relationships - Revised (Fraley, Waller, & Brennan, 2000), Multidimensional Measure of Emotional Abuse (Murphy & Hoover, 1999), Control Scale (Stets, 1993), Dyadic Satisfaction Scale (Spanier, 1976), Trust Scale (Rempel & Holmes, 1986), and Trust in Interpersonal Relationships (Larzelere & Huston, 1980). Results showed that high relationship satisfaction was related to high trust and attachment, and low control and emotional abuse. Results also demonstrated that trust mediated the relationship between attachment and emotional abuse.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A. Applied Psychology and Professional Mental Health Counseling

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Year dc:date.available

2012

Author dc:creator

• Franz, Melissa

Contributors dc:contributor

• Miller, Matthew

• Psychological abuse; Couples
• Psychiatric and Mental Health

Repository record dc:identifier

https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/509

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:rdw.rowan.edu:etd-1508