School of Public Health

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The collections in this community comprise faculty research works, as well as graduate theses and dissertations.

Note: Prior to July 1, 2007, the School of Public Health was named the College of Health & Human Performance.

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Subject: search.filters.subject.psychological abuse

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Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COUPLE PSYCHOLOGICAL AGGRESSION AND PARENTING BEHAVIOR
    (2012) Duffy, Katelyn; Epstein, Norman; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    This study examined the relationship between received couple psychological aggression and use of authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive parenting practices. Previous research examining couple aggression and parenting ignored psychological aggression and fathering, and found depression to be a mediator of the relationship. The current study aimed to determine the relationship between received psychological aggression and parenting (compared by gender), and to identify whether the relationship between received aggression and parenting is mediated by depression. Secondary analyses were conducted on pre-treatment data collected from couples seeking therapy at the Center for Healthy Families at University of Maryland, College Park. Results revealed a significant relationship between received aggression and authoritarian parenting for fathers, but not for permissive or authoritative behaviors. No relationship was found between mothers' received aggression and any parenting dimension. Depression partially influenced the relationship between received aggression and authoritarian parenting for both mothers and fathers, but not permissive or authoritative parenting.
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    DIRECTION OF PARTNER PSYCHOLOGICAL AGGRESSION AND OUTCOMES OF COUPLE THERAPY: MODERATING EFFECTS OF CLIENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF THERAPEUTIC GAINS
    (2012) Childers, Morgan Anne; Epstein, Norman; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    Research has consistently found that contrary to longstanding beliefs, partner aggression, both in psychological and physical forms, is primarily perpetrated bidirectionally. This study compared conjoint therapy treatment outcomes (dyadic satisfaction, changes in communication patterns, and reductions in physical aggression) for bidirectionally psychologically aggressive couples and couples in which only one partner primarily perpetrated psychological aggression. In addition, the clients' perceptions of therapy were measured continuously over the course of therapy; this factor was examined as a moderator variable. A MANOVA was run on the sample of 64 heterosexual couples, but no significant main effects were found. However, this study and past research on this sample show that these couples did improve on outcome measures. This suggests that regardless of the pattern of aggression perpetration, psychologically aggressive couples may benefit from conjoint therapy. Additionally, post hoc exploratory analyses found significant correlations between reductions in aggression and changes in negative communication patterns.
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    The Impact of Couple Therapy for Abusive Behavior on Partners' Negative Attributions about Each Other, Relationship Satisfaction, Communication Behavior, and Psychological Abuse
    (2008-05-05) Hrapczynski, Katie Marie; Epstein, Norman; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    Treatments for abusive behavior commonly include cognitive restructuring to modify negative attributions. Little is known about the extent to which interventions modify attributions, and whether cognitive changes are associated with behavioral and relationship satisfaction change. This study investigated the degrees to which cognitive-behavioral couple therapy (CBCT) and a usual treatment (UT) result in therapeutic changes in couples experiencing psychological and/or mild to moderate levels of physical abuse. A sample of community couples seeking assistance for relationship problems at a university-based clinic were randomly assigned to CBCT or UT. Twenty-four couples in CBCT and 26 couples in UT completed 10 weekly 90-minute sessions. This study involved analyses of pre- and post-therapy measures of psychological abuse, relationship satisfaction, communication, and negative attributions. Findings indicated that both conditions decreased psychological abuse and negative attributions, and increased relationship satisfaction. CBCT decreased negative communication. Couples therapy is an effective treatment modality for this specialized population.
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    The Association of Socio-Economic Resources and Perceived Social Support with the Occurence of Physical and Psychological Aggression in Heterosexual Clinical Couples
    (2006-07-24) Alexander, Rachel Erin; Epstein, Norman B; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    This study examined the interaction between relative socio-economic resources, such as income and level of education, and level of perceived social support on couples' levels of physical and psychological abuse. It was hypothesized that individuals with fewer resources than their partner would utilize more aggression, individuals with higher perceived social support would exhibit less aggression, and perceived social support would moderate the relationship between personal resource discrepancy and aggressive behavior. The findings of the current study suggest that the impact of partner resource discrepancies and perceived social support depend on the gender of the perpetrator and the type of abuse considered. The findings also have clinical implications for the importance of gathering information about couples' resources and social support. Implications for future research include analyzing the effects of different types of social support on coping in a sample that includes wider ranges of personal resources and severity of abuse.
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    Status Discrepancies and Provider Roles in Psychologically and Physically Abusive Black Couple Relationships
    (2005-05-02) Mitchell, Gillian Mitchele; LaTaillade, Jaslean; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    Intimate partner violence in African American couple relationships poses serious risks to the physical and psychological well being of Black women. The proposed research has three objectives: 1) to explore the relationship between both the male partner's and female partner's income, educational achievement, and occupational status and male-to-female physical and psychological abuse in African American couples, 2) to examine the role of income, occupational, and educational discrepancies between these partners in the incidence of male-to-female physical and psychological abuse, and 3) to examine the role of the male partner's attitude towards the provider role and incidence of said abuse. The findings suggest that increased female income is associated with decreased male physical violence and that the man's attitude towards the provider role moderates the relationship between the woman's occupation and physical and psychological abuse.
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    AN EXAMINATION OF A TYPOLOGY OF INTIMATE PARTNER PSYCHOLOGICAL AGGRESSION USING THE MULTI-DIMENSIONAL EMOTIONAL ABUSE SCALE (MDEAS)
    (2005-05-02) Goerl, Alexandra P; LaTaillade, Jaslean; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    This study investigated a typology of abuse using the Multi-Dimensional Emotional Abuse Scale (MDEAS) in order to determine the utility of using the MDEAS with a diverse, clinical sample. Respondents were 242 couples seeking couples therapy at a university-based clinic. Factor analyses were conducted on both women's and men's reports of partners' psychologically abusive behaviors as indicated on the self-report questionnaire. Analyses yielded four-factor models for both groups, although there were some differences in item retention between the groups. Forced two-factor analyses were also performed, and results indicated that a four-factor model better conceptualized the nature of psychological abuse when using the MDEAS. Finally, associations between types of psychological abuse and relationship factors were examined. All factors of psychological abuse were significantly associated with physical abuse and relationship satisfaction; factors differed in their associations with attachment styles. The clinical implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are provided.
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    Attachment Style as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Level of Perceived Conflict and Constructive and Psychologically Abusive Behavior in Clinic Couples
    (2004-08-03) Beyder-Kamjou, Irina; Epstein, Norman; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    This study examined a potential moderating effect of attachment styles of members of clinical couples on the relationship between their level of perceived conflict and use of forms of psychologically abusive versus constructive conflict management behavior toward each other. Data from one hundred seventy seven couples who had sought therapy at the Family Service Center at the University of Maryland, College Park were used. Each client had completed a set of assessment questionnaires prior to beginning couple therapy at the clinic, and all data previously had been entered into a database. The subset of assessment measures utilized for this study included questionnaires assessing attachment styles, forms of psychological abuse, physical abuse, and relationship adjustment. It was hypothesized that when individuals experience conflict in their intimate relationships and their working models of attachment are activated, they will use degrees of constructive or psychologically abusive conflict management behavior based on the type of attachment style that they exhibit. It was postulated that, in general, if individuals perceive their relationship to be higher in level of conflict, they would use more psychologically abusive conflict resolution behavior than if they perceive their relationship to be lower in conflict. Results supported this hypothesis. It was also proposed that individuals perceiving their relationship to be lower in level of conflict would utilize more constructive conflict resolution behavior than individuals perceiving a higher level of conflict in their intimate relationships. Results did not support this hypothesis. In addition, individuals with secure attachment styles who perceive their relationship to be higher in conflict were expected to use more constructive conflict management skills than insecure individuals, whereas insecure individuals were expected to use more psychologically abusive behavior. The results indicated an interaction between the level of perceived conflict and the level of attachment insecurity for individuals' use of psychologically abusive conflict resolution behaviors, but not for individuals' use of constructive conflict resolution behaviors. Contrary to the hypothesis, it was found that securely attached individuals in higher conflict relationships utilized more psychologically abusive conflict resolution behavior than their insecure counterparts. However, consistent with the prediction, no significant differences were found in secure and insecure individuals' use of psychologically abusive conflict resolution behaviors in lower conflict relationships. Moreover, regarding specific types of insecure attachment, it was expected that if perceived level of conflict between the partners is relatively high: (a) individuals reporting a dismissive-avoidant attachment style would use more of the hostile withdrawal types of psychological abuse as compared with individuals reporting other forms of insecure attachment, (b) individuals with the fearful-avoidant attachment style would use more of the denigration type of psychological abuse as compared to individuals reporting other forms of insecure attachment, and (c) individuals with the preoccupied attachment style would use more of the restrictive engulfment and domination-intimidation types of psychological abuse as compared to individuals with other forms of insecure attachment. The results did not support these hypotheses. As predicted, there were no differences in the use of psychologically abusive or constructive behavior among individuals with secure attachment and the various types of insecure attachment who perceived their relationship to have a lower level of conflict. Furthermore, gender and racial (Caucasians versus African-Americans) differences in the distribution of attachment styles in members of these clinical couples were examined, and no significant results were observed. In addition, gender differences in the relationship between attachment styles and use of constructive and psychologically abusive conflict resolution behaviors in high versus low-conflict relationships were examined in an exploratory fashion. The results indicated no significant gender differences in individuals' use of constructive or psychologically abusive conflict resolution behaviors based on the level of conflict that they perceived in their relationship. Finally, the distribution of couple pairings by partners' attachment styles was explored, and the most common pairings were found to be both partners secure, both partners fearful-avoidant, and a secure male matched with a fearful female. Overall, the findings indicate that attachment styles are a variable that those who study and treat abuse within couple relationships should take into account. Implications of the study's findings for therapeutic interventions with psychologically abusive partners with various attachment patterns and suggestions for future research are discussed.