The Association between Attachment Styles and Physical Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration and Victimization: A Meta‐Analysis

Abstract

In this meta‐analysis, we examine attachment styles—something commonly incorporated into couples therapy—and their association with physical intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration and victimization among men and women. This meta‐analysis incorporated 33 studies that looked at the association between four different attachment styles and IPV. This study examined the strength of the correlation among different attachment styles and IPV perpetration and victimization, examined gender differences in the strength of the association among attachment styles and IPV, and compared the strength of the association with IPV among different attachment styles. We found that anxious attachment, avoidant attachment, and disorganized attachment styles were all significantly associated with physical IPV perpetration and victimization. Secure attachment was significantly negatively related to IPV perpetration and victimization. There was a significantly stronger association between avoidant attachment and IPV victimization for women compared to men. Clinical implications related to the importance of fostering secure attachments when working with couples or individuals who have experienced IPV are addressed.

Attachment, Emotion Dysregulation, and Physical IPV in Predominantly Hispanic, Young Adult Couples

“…Results for female perpetration revealed that only female attachment anxiety predicted both self- and partner-reported female IPV, and male attachment characteristics did not moderate these relationships. This finding is consistent with research demonstrating a relationship between anxious attachment and IPV perpetration in women [ 32 ] but inconsistent with research suggesting that involvement with an avoidantly attached partner moderates the association between anxious attachment and female perpetration [ 35 , 36 , 37 ]. It is unclear why the interaction between attachment avoidance in men and attachment anxiety in women did not predict female IPV in the present study.…”

“…Research has found an association between insecure attachment and IPV [ 6 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ], with most of the few studies including attachment and IPV data from both partners revealing an avoidant–anxious partner attachment pattern—particularly, attachment avoidance in men and attachment anxiety in women—to be a predictor of IPV for men and women [ 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 ]. For example, Bond and Bond [ 35 ] found the combination of anxious attachment in women and dismissing (i.e., high avoidance and low anxiety) attachment in men to predict a prevalence of overall IPV victimization.…”

Early maladaptive schemas and intimate partner violence victimization and perpetration: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…Nonetheless, the evidence thus far suggests that a sense of a lack of safety in relationships is important in understanding risk factors for perpetrators. This provides some justification for the theory that those who are violent may be overcompensating for unmet needs related to relational trust and safety (Young et al, 2003) and aligns with meta‐analytic evidence that IPV is associated with attachment insecurity (Spencer et al, 2020). In fact, both perpetrators and victims of IPV may be operating from similar schema activation, but different coping styles.…”

“…The World Health Organization (2013) estimates that IPV affects approximately 35% of the global population. IPV is associated with adverse personal, social, and economic outcomes (Spencer, Keilholtz, & Stith, 2020). These include increased risk of Post‐Traumatic Stress Disorder, substance use, and depression (Bacchus et al, 2018; Spencer, Mallory, et al, 2019), and intergenerational trauma, which perpetuates emotional and attachment problems in children who witness IPV (Cannon et al, 2009; Noonan & Pilkington, 2020).…”

Give me your password! What are you hiding? Associated factors of intimate partner violence through technological abuse

“…Other studies suggested that male partners’ anxious and avoidant attachment style significantly predicted emotional manipulation, coercive and threat tactics (He & Tsang, 2014 ). One recent systematic review conducted by Spencer et al ( 2021 ) points the following main leads: 1) anxious attachment is one of the most robust correlates for both intimate partner violence victimization and perpetration for both genders, and what is more surprising, anxious attachment is significantly more associated than secure attachment; 2) the need to further explore the apparent gender difference reported by studies published so far, asserting that avoidant attachment is a significantly more robust correlate for intimate female partner violent victimization compared to male intimate partner victimization. As such, Slootmaeckers and Migerode ( 2018 , 2020 ) argue that from the attachment perspective, aggression can serve both purposes, either proximity seeking (the dominant strategy of anxiously attached) or distance seeking (avoidant strategy), irrespective of gender.…”