Effects of Early Abuse on Adult Intimate Relationships

早期虐待对成人亲密关系的影响

基本信息

批准号：
7761752
负责人：
CINDY M MESTON
金额：
$ 15.49万
依托单位：
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
财政年份：
2006
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2006-05-01 至 2012-02-28
项目状态：
已结题

项目摘要

Findings indicate that a history of childhood abuse (CA) is associated with the tendency to engage in high- risk behaviors and to experience a number of psychological disturbances known to adversely impact intimate relationships. Despite these well-substantiated findings, little research has examined the mechanisms by which these detrimental effects occur and/or are maintained in adulthood. The overall objective of the proposed investigation is to begin understanding these processes.To this end, we propose to conduct two studies and to further develop a codebook for human-aided content analyses of intimacy themesexpressed in language. Study 1will explore the potential mediational role of intimacy schemas, psychological adjustment (depression, PTSD, substance abuse), and physiological reactivity in the relation betweenCA and adverse intimacy consequences in adulthood. Information on intimacy schemas will be derived by conducting human-aided content analyses and computer-aided language analyses of control and intimacy- relevant essays written by 150 women with, and 150 women without, a history of CA. Cortisol and heart rate variability will be measured throughout the essay writing and will serve as indicators of physiological reactivity. Study 2 will be the first study to examine whether a writing intervention that focuses specifically on intimacy themes will impact intimacy adjustment among women with a history of CA. In other populations, Pennebaker et al. have found that writing about emotionally relevant themes causes beneficial changes in numerous psychological, behavioral and physiological indices. In Study 2,165 women with a history of CA and intimacy difficulties will be randomly assigned to write about either:1) time management (control), 2) a past traumatic experience, or 3) intimacy-relevant schemas. Pre- and post- (1, 3, 6, months) writing intervention assessments will be conducted to examine the impact of the writing interventions on intimacy variables. If changes on intimacy outcome variables are seen, the degree to which changes in intimacy schemas, psychological adjustment, and physiological reactivity mediate these changes will be assessed. Education and SES will be tested as potential moderators or general covariates in both studies. The findings from this investigation will have implications for understanding both the psychological and physiological mechanisms that link CA with detrimental intimacy/relational factors in adulthood.

调查结果表明，儿童虐待病史（CA）与从事高级的趋势有关风险行为并经历许多已知的心理障碍，从而对亲密产生不利影响关系。尽管这些发现有很好的发现，但很少研究研究了这些机制这些有害效应发生和/或在成年期间维持。总体目标拟议的调查是开始理解这些过程。为此，我们建议进行两个研究并进一步开发一本用于人辅助内容分析的代码手册语言。研究1将探索亲密图案的潜在中介作用，心理调整（抑郁症，PTSD，药物滥用）和关系中的生理反应性和成年后的不利亲密后果。有关亲密模式的信息将由进行人辅助内容分析和计算机辅助语言分析控制和亲密关系 - 相关论文由150名女性和150名没有妇女的妇女撰写。皮质醇和心率可变性将在整个论文写作中衡量，并将作为生理指标反应性。研究2将是第一个研究的研究，以研究专门关注的写作干预措施是否专门针对亲密主题将影响具有CA史的女性的亲密调整。在其他人群中 Pennebaker等。已经发现，写有关情感相关主题的文章会导致有益的变化许多心理，行为和生理指标。在研究中有2,165名CA史的妇女并且亲密困难将被随机分配给关于：1）时间管理（控制），2）a 过去的创伤经历，或3）与亲密关系的模式。（1，3，6，几个月）写作前后将进行干预评估以检查写作干预措施对亲密关系的影响变量。如果看到亲密结局变量的变化，则亲密关系的变化程度将评估模式，心理调整和生理反应性介导这些变化。在两项研究中，教育和SES将被视为潜在的主持人或一般协变量。发现从这项调查中，将对理解心理和生理有影响在成年期将CA与有害亲密关系/关系因素联系起来的机制。