The Influence of Emotion Dysregulation on the Relationship between Emotional Abuse and Self-concealment among Romantic Partners

ABSTRACT

The current study investigated the impact of emotional abuse on self-concealment in a sample of 126 college students currently in a romantic heterosexual relationship. This study also examined whether emotion dysregulation moderated the relationship between emotional abuse and self-concealment. Results showed emotion dysregulation moderated the relationship between emotional abuse and self-concealment. When emotion dysregulation was low, being in an emotionally abusive relationship was positively associated with self-concealment. When emotion dysregulation was high, emotional abuse was not associated with self-concealment. In the context of intimate partner emotional abuse, this study suggests self-concealment is an attempt to cope with unwanted internal events, which may be especially salient among people with low emotion dysregulation.

KEYWORDS:

• Self-concealment
• emotional abuse
• emotion dysregulation
• romantic partners
• college students

Disclosure statement

All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to report.