Ideal and actual partner assessments in male batterers with different attachment styles

Abstract

Research analyzing male batterers’ views of what constitutes an ideal partner is scarce, and rejected features have not been tested. Analyzing the association of attraction and rejection patterns with attachment could help us understand how these men choose their female partners and the biases that make violence against these women more likely. The objective of this study was to analyze these patterns in male batterers with different attachment styles, considering both their ideal and actual partner assessments and the discrepancies between the two. Participants were 108 male offenders who were serving sentences in Colombian prisons for violence against women. In addition to identifying their attachment styles (secure, dismissive, preoccupied, and fearful), the study had participants assess their ideal and actual partners. The results showed significant differences in their actual partner assessments and in ideal-actual partner discrepancies, but not in their ideals. Secure attachment was related to the best partner assessments (higher scores in positive features and lower scores in negative ones), whereas the fearfully attached participants stood out for showing the worst assessments (higher scores in negative features and lower scores in positive ones). The findings provide evidence of the association of attachment styles with attraction and rejection patterns and offer suggestions for tailoring interventions.

Integrating Dehumanization and Attachment in the Prediction of Teen Dating Violence Perpetration

“…All these results are consistent with those of previous studies indicating an association of avoidance with a negative view of others (Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991), which does not occur with anxiety. They are also consistent with previous results indicating that only highly avoidant batterers show a really negative partner assessment, whereas those who are secure or preoccupied maintain a more positive view despite manifesting violence (Gonzalez-Mendez et al, 2019). Despite anxiety often being associated with TDV (Bonache et al, 2017), the SEM did not confirm this link.…”

“…Converting attachment dimensions into four styles allows the identification of possible differences in response patterns when levels of avoidance and anxiety are combined. Among the different procedures that have been used to establish the four styles from the dimensions (e.g., Park, Crocker, & Mickelson, 2004;Powers et al, 2006), we chose the one that involved the use of percentile scores (e.g., Gonzalez-Mendez et al, 2019;Kaitz et al, 2004). To be precise, we first determined separately the 50th percentile scores for anxiety and avoidance dimensions.…”

“…However, this association tends to be more consistent when considering the anxiety dimension (Godbout et al, 2016). Moreover, only high levels of avoidance predict a negative partner's assessment in male batterers (Gonzalez-Mendez et al, 2019). Hence, we expected that highly avoidant adolescents (i.e., dismissive and fearful) would perceive a lower agency and experience in their partners, and a higher evilness, than those lower in avoidance (i.e., secure and preoccupied).…”

“…In adolescents and adults, attachment orientations are generally examined through two dimensions, anxiety about abandonment and avoidance of intimacy (Brennan, Clark, & Shaver, 1998;Simpson, Rholes, & Phillips, 1996). However, research also analyzes the attachment styles that emerge when combining scores on those dimensions (Gonzalez-Mendez, Jiménez-Ardila, & Ramírez-Santana, 2019;Kaitz, Bar-Haim, Lehrer, & Grossman, 2004;Powers, Pietromonaco, Gunlicks, & Sayer, 2006). These four styles are secure (low in both dimensions), fearful (high in both dimensions), preoccupied (high in anxiety and low in avoidance), and dismissive (low in anxiety and high in avoidance).…”

Correlation between early maladaptive schemas and violence against women among a representative sample from a Lebanese population: Results of a cross-sectional study

“…From this view, early adverse experiences are thought to lead to the creation of inner working models that influence perception, affect and behavior in distinct interactions throughout life. As expressions of these models of work, attachment styles were recognized: secure (low in both in anxiety and avoidance), fearful (high in both dimensions), preoccupied (high in anxiety and low in avoidance), and dismissive (low in anxiety and high in avoidance) 12 . A research undertaken by Hare and collaborators offers empirical evidence for the moderating role of attachment on particular childhood traumatic exposure (i.e.…”