1 TPC Digest 1 I ntimate partner violence (IPV) has consistently been shown to have deleterious effects on survivors’ interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships; therefore, it is undoubtedly a prominent public health concern. IPV survivors often experience a violation of trust and a sense of betrayal in the aftermath and develop ineffective coping mechanisms (e.g., distancing themselves emotionally), which could potentially impact their new intimate relationships. Experiencing IPV was found to have detrimental effects on an individual’s self-esteem; IPV survivors often have lower levels of self-esteem than non-abused individuals. Despite the negative outcomes of IPV victimization, limited effort has been put forth to recognize protective factors that contribute to IPV survivors’ coping and healing processes. Childhood attachment has been proposed as a potential protective factor for IPV survivors’ coping with traumatic experiences and a moderator for buffering the negative psychological outcomes of IPV. In the present study, we aim to investigate the impact of IPV on adult attachment and self-esteem as well as examine the moderating role of childhood attachment on the relationships between IPV, adult attachment, and self-esteem. Data were collected from various social media platforms via a Qualtrics survey. For the final analysis, 1,708 adult participants were retained, including 507 (29.7%) participants who experienced IPV and 1,191 (69.7%) participants without a history of IPV in adulthood. The results identified a positive association between IPV victimization and adult insecure attachment, including both anxious and avoidant dimensions. Meanwhile, a negative association was observed between IPV victimization and self-esteem. Furthermore, our research determined that childhood attachment acted as a moderator between IPV victimization and self-esteem. The findings provide insights that may inform clinical interventions for adult survivors who have experienced IPV to rebuild trusting interpersonal relationships and relationships with self. First, clinical interventions could focus on altering survivors’ negative internal working models to increase security within non-abusive close relationships. Close friends and family members could remain as a secure base for IPV survivors while they rebuild their personal and social lives that IPV have damaged. Additionally, the therapeutic relationship could potentially serve as a secure base for survivors to explore their attachment behaviors. Furthermore, group therapy is a powerful way to learn about trusting oneself and others and to improve interpersonal relationship skills. Clients’ attachment patterns may be activated through interactions with the group members and the facilitators. One of the important findings of the current study is that childhood attachment with the primary caregiver(s) buffered the relationship between IPV on self-esteem. From a clinical point of view, the result may bring hope for adult survivors of IPV regarding their healing process; primary caregivers could still serve as a secure base to offer a crucial opportunity to strengthen the internal working models that would positively affect later adjustment. Counselors could assess survivors’ attachment with their primary caregivers and give them autonomy to determine if it is beneficial to get their non-abusive primary caregivers involved in their treatment to provide support. Fei Shen, PhD, LMFT, is an assistant professor at Kean University. Ying Zhang, PhD, is an assistant professor at Clarkson University. Xiafei Wang, PhD, is an assistant professor at Syracuse University. Correspondence may be addressed to Fei Shen, 1000 Morris Ave., Union, NJ 07083, fshen@kean.edu. Fei Shen, Ying Zhang, Xiafei Wang The Impact of Intimate Partner Violence on Interpersonal and Intrapersonal Relationships: The Role of Childhood Attachment
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