Cumulative Contribution of Child Maltreatment to Emotional Experience and Regulatory Intent in Intimate Adult Interactions

Abstract

This study examined the link between experiencing multiple types of child maltreatment and intentions to control emotion during charged discussions with intimate partners in adulthood, and whether the link is mediated by intensity of negative emotions. Using video recall, 97 couples rated their levels of emotions and intentions to control emotion during charged discussions with partners. Number of types of child maltreatment reported was linked with effort to control emotion, and the relationship was partially mediated by intensity of participants’ feelings of hostility. For men, the link was also partially mediated by self-reported sadness and anxiety. Findings underscore the importance of attending to abuse survivors’ experiences of and attempts to manage intense emotions in treatment, particularly in couples therapy.

KEYWORDS:

• childhood trauma
• child maltreatment
• couples
• emotion processing
• emotion regulation
• long-term effects
• multitype maltreatment
• video recall

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (K08 MH1555) to Robert J. Waldinger, Principal Investigator.