1. The Effects of Childhood Emotional Abuse on Later Romantic Relationship Outcomes: The Moderating Role of Self-Worth, Alcohol, and Jealousy
Madeline M. Palkovitz & David E. Szwedo
James Madison University
Madeline Palkovitz
Measures
Emotional Abuse (ages 13 through 18) Assessed using the emotional abuse subscale of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, a 28-item self-report measure that is rated on a 5-point scale.
Self-Worth (age 21) Assessed using the Self-Worth subscale of the Self- Perception Profile for Adolescents questionnaire, also known as the Child Harter. Responses are scored on a 4-point scale.
Alcohol Consumption (age 21) Assessed using the Alcohol and Drug Questionnaire, which rates responses on a 5-point scale.
Behavioral Jealousy (age 21) Assessed using the Multidimensional Jealousy Scale, more specifically the behavioral jealously subscale. Responses are rated on a 7-point scale.
Romantic Relationship Satisfaction (age 27) Assessed using the satisfaction subscale of the Network of Relationships Inventory, which scores responses on a 5-point scale.
Romantic Relationship Aggression (age 27) Assessed using self-reports from the romantic relational aggression subscale of the Romantic Relational Aggression and Victimization measure.
Romantic Relationship Avoidance (age 27) Assessed using the Multi-Item Measure of Adult Romantic Attachment, a 36-item questionnaire that is scored on a 7-point scale.
Note: for all measures, higher scores indicate higher levels of the construct.
Introduction
Emotional abuse experienced in childhood is thought to negatively impact an individual’s later relationships. Childhood emotional abuse has been found to be associated with negative outcomes such as adult relationship instability, intimate partner violence, and problems with intimacy, sexuality, and conflict resolution (Riggs et al., 2011).
Emotionally abused children are more likely to have lower self-esteem in adulthood (Mullen et al., 1996; Maguire et al., 2014). Low self-esteem is a predictor of relationship break-up (Luciano & Orth, 2016).
Emotional abuse is associated with an increased probability of drinking alcohol and higher rates of heavy drinking (Dube et al., 2006). Adolescent alcohol use predicts greater romantic involvement and turnover in early adulthood (Rauer et al., 2016).
Childhood emotional abuse is associated with insecure attachment styles. Adults with insecure attachment styles are more likely to be controlling, which may imply that they have high levels of jealousy (Riggs, 2010). Hostile patterns of communication are exacerbated by jealousy, which may then lead to aggression (Collibee & Furman, 2016).
The purpose of this study is to investigate how childhood emotional abuse predicts romantic relationship outcomes, and the potential moderating role of self-worth, alcohol consumption, and behavioral jealousy in this relationship.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figures 1, 2 & 3. Interactions between emotional abuse and self-worth, alcohol consumption, and behavioral jealousy predicting future romantic relationship satisfaction. The pattern of results suggests that emotionally abused individuals who have a lower self-worth, higher alcohol consumption, and higher behavioral jealousy levels tend to be more satisfied in their romantic relationships.
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figures 4 & 5. Interactions between emotional abuse and behavioral jealousy predicting future romantic relationship aggression and avoidance. The pattern of results suggests that emotionally abused individuals who have higher behavioral jealousy levels tend to have higher levels of aggression and avoidance in their later romantic relationships.
Results
Correlations between primary variables are presented in Table 1 below.
Regression equations examined predictor variables of emotional abuse, self-worth, alcohol intake, and behavioral jealousy on later romantic relationship outcomes (such as satisfaction, aggression, and avoidance) controlling for gender and family household income.
Analyses revealed significant interactions between childhood emotional abuse and self-worth predicting low romantic relationship satisfaction (see Figure 1).
Analyses revealed significant interactions between childhood emotional abuse and the predictor variables of alcohol consumption and behavioral jealousy predicting high romantic relationship satisfaction (see Figures 2 & 3).
Interactions were found between emotional abuse and behavioral jealously predicting future romantic relationship aggression and avoidance (see Figures 4 & 5).
Discussion
Hypotheses
For individuals that experienced emotional abuse between the ages of 13 and 18:
Satisfaction
Lower self-worth predicts more romantic relationship satisfaction. This may be because people with lower self-worth do not think they deserve any better so they are content, whereas people with a higher self-worth may have higher expectations so they are not satisfied as easily.
Higher alcohol intake predicts more romantic relationship satisfaction. Alcohol could be used as a coping or numbing mechanism that allows these individuals to be more satisfied.
Higher behavioral jealously predicts more relationship satisfaction. Higher levels of jealousy could lead individuals to exert more control over their relationship, making it one in which they are more satisfied.
Aggression
Higher levels of jealousy predict romantic relationship aggression. This may be because people who have been abused often live in more hostile environments, and jealousy is often related to power and control which can lead to aggression.
Avoidance
Jealousy predicts relationship avoidance in both conditions. Individuals may avoid relationships because they do not want to put themselves in a situation where they might think irrationally and become embarrassed.
Emotional abuse predicts avoidance in both conditions. Individuals who have experienced emotional abuse may avoid relationships because they do not want to engage in another situation where they may potentially be hurt again by someone that they care about.
Emotional abuse in childhood predicts less romantic relationship satisfaction, more romantic relationship aggression, and more romantic relationship avoidance later in life.
Associations between emotional abuse and negative romantic relationship outcomes will be stronger for individuals who have low self-worth, high alcohol consumption, and high behavioral jealousy.
Table 1. Univariate statistics and inter-correlations between primary constructs
Method
Mean (SD) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1. Gender
47% male -
2. Income
43,618 (22,420)
-.11
Emotional Abuse (18 and under)
7.30 (2.09)
.03
-.01
4. Self-Worth
(21)
16.25 (2.44)
.11
-.03
-.26***
Alcohol Consumption (21)
7.03 (6.53)
-.23**
.33***
.00
-.07
Behavioral Jealousy (21)
15.60 (7.87)
.14
-.05
.08
.16
Satisfaction in Romantic Relationships
(27)
13.34 (2.32)
.07
-.16
Aggression in Romantic Relationships (27)
6.60 (2.70)
-.14
.27**
.32**
-.18*
Avoidance of Romantic Relationships (27)
43.26 (19.14)
-.12
-.13
.15*
-.31***
.01
.31***
-.29**
Participants
Full sample from larger study: N = 184
Participants with romantic partners: N = 97
Gender Race/ethnicity Income
86 males Caucasian Median = $40,000 - $59,000
98 females African American
24 Mixed/Other
Note. * p ≤ .05, ** p ≤ .01, *** p ≤ .001