The Relationship between Childhood Maltreatment and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation according to the Mediating Role of Attachment Components (Anxious, Avoidant, and Disorganized)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Nazanin Poureghbal ¹
• Mojtaba Tamaddoni ²

¹ Master's degree in Clinical Psychology, Department of Psychology, Islamic Azad University, South Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran.

² Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, School of Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, South Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran.

10.22067/tpccp.2025.84406.1562

Abstract

Introduction
In recent years, knowing the factors influencing the creation of adolescent difficulties in emotion regulation (as an important stage between childhood and adulthood) has always become a very important issue. Research conducted on difficulties in regulating emotions indicate that difficulties in regulating emotions are caused by childhood abuse and that teenagers who have problems in regulating their emotions are a reflection of their parents' abuse. Maltreatment in childhood directly and indirectly causes difficulties in regulating emotions. Children whose parents/caregivers misbehaved with them in childhood face emotional problems and disordered attachments in adolescence. Disorganized individuals lack a coherent attachment strategy for dealing with distress. There is very little research on maladaptive attachment in childhood and its effects in adulthood, which is particularly concerning because attachment behaviors in adulthood often stem from childhood behaviors. According to what was mentioned, in order to know the factors affecting the difficulties in emotion regulation, the current research has investigated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and difficulties in adolescent emotion regulation, considering the mediating role of attachment components (anxious, avoidant, and disorganized).
Method
The current research was fundamental in terms of its purpose and in terms of the research method, it was a correlational research. According to the definition of the World Health Organization (WHO), adolescence consists of three periods: the initial period (10 to 13 years old), the middle period (14 to 17 years old) and the final period (18 to 21 years old). In the current research, the people in the final period of adolescence were selected as the statistical population. Therefore, students of the Islamic Azad University of South Tehran branch who met the age criterum were selected as the sample through the convenience sampling method (N = 340). The questionnaires were virtually distributed through the social media groups of students in the university. They were then asked to fill out the study questionnaires including the Adverse Childhood Experiences (Whittington, 2023), Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised questionnaire (Fraley et al., 2000), Adult Disorganized Attachment scale (Paetzold et al., 2015) and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (Kaufman et al., 2016). Correlation matrix and structural equation modeling method (path analysis) were used to analyze the research data using Smart PLS3.
Results
Using the results of the structural model, the results of the research showed that childhood maltreatment is correlated with difficulties in emotion regulation through the mediating role of avoidant attachment (0.091) and anxious attachment (0.367). Moreover, childhood maltreatment is directly associated with anxious (0.554), avoidant (0.489) and disorganized (0.492) attachment components. Anxious (0.663) and avoidant (0.186) attachment components are related to difficulties in emotion regulation.
Discussion & Conclusion
The present study sought to ascertain the role of attachment components (anxious, avoidant, and disorganized) in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and adolescent emotion regulation difficulties. The findings of this study indicated that childhood maltreatment, mediated by avoidant attachment, exerted a positive influence on emotion regulation difficulties. This finding aligns with the research of Whittington (2023). Conversely, childhood maltreatment mediated by disorganized attachment demonstrated no significant impact on difficulties in emotion regulation. However, childhood maltreatment mediated by anxious attachment exhibited a positive influence on difficulties in emotion regulation. The findings of this study align with the research of Whittington (2023) and Alvani Lavasani and Ahmadi Tahor Soltani (2017) on the impact of childhood maltreatment on attachment. Avoidant attachment has been shown to have a positive effect on difficulties in emotion regulation. This phenomenon occurs through the avoidance of interaction with caregivers by denying their needs and minimizing the display of emotions, as evidenced by the research of Ghasempour et al. (2019). Conversely, anxious attachment has been shown to positively impact emotion regulation. Anxiously attached children may exhibit resistance to exaggerated calm and discomfort. This finding aligns with the observations reported by Withington (2023). Consequently, it can be posited that childhood maltreatment can lead to emotional regulation difficulties in adolescence by fostering avoidant and anxious attachments. Consequently, the utilization of family therapy has been proposed as a method to address anxious attachment, thereby recognizing the challenges and aberrant behaviors characteristic of childhood as well. This approach aims to facilitate the management of anxious attachment, leading to the development of effective emotional regulation in individuals. Writing techniques have been identified as a means of reducing avoidant attachment in students. This approach involves fostering the development of writing skills that facilitate the expression of emotions in diverse contexts.

Keywords

• Childhood Maltreatment
• Attachment styles
• Difficulties in Emotion Regulation

Main Subjects

• Clinical psychology

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