Intimate Partner Sexual Violence in Emerging Adulthood: Exploring Sexual Consent Attitudes as a Target for Sexual Coercion Prevention.

While intimate partner violence is now recognized as a major societal and international issue, sexual violence between partners remains understudied despite its significant prevalence rates and the specific contexts in which it occurs. The aim of this study was to analyze the links between different dimensions of sexual consent and sexual coercion experienced within intimate relationships in order to identify targets for prevention campaigns. The study was carried out during a time of transition in the sociopolitical and legislative context in Belgium linked to the implementation of a reform to the sexual criminal law, which has made the expression of sexual consent central to the qualification of sexual offenses. A total of 431 young adults (88.40% female; Mage = 22.19 years; SDage = 1.79) were recruited from the general population through an online survey to analyze the links between attitudes and beliefs toward sexual consent, attachment style, mental health, and sexual victimization between partners. Results showed that a lack of perceived behavioral control over establishing sexual consent, as well as the avoidance of intimacy, predicted sexual victimization. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed and potential public policy responses for prevention and awareness are suggested. Future research should further investigate and conceptualize sexual consent as it relates to sexual coercion in a more representative sample from an intersectional perspective.

Parental reflective functioning in mothers and fathers of preschoolers: Associations with adult attachment and parenting behavior.

Parental reflective functioning (PRF) is considered a key parental competence. Since most research on PRF has focused on infancy or the first years of life, there is a gap in our understanding of PRF among parents of older children. Therefore, we investigated PRF in mothers and fathers with preschool-aged children, examining associations between PRF, parent's romantic attachment, and observed parenting behavior. The sample comprised 50 mothers, 40 fathers, and their 5-year-old children. PRF was assessed using the parental reflective functioning questionnaire (PRFQ), parental romantic attachment was assessed using the experiences in close relationships scale-revised (ECR-R), and parenting behavior was assessed during a parent-child free-play interaction with the coding interactive behavior (CIB) coding system. Results showed that mothers scored higher on the interest and curiosity scale than fathers, indicating that mothers show a more active interest and curiosity in their child's mental states. Further, higher levels of attachment anxiety in fathers were associated with higher levels of pre-mentalizing modes. In mothers, higher levels of attachment avoidance were associated with lower levels of interest and curiosity. Finally, and unexpectedly, higher levels of interest and curiosity in mothers were associated with less sensitivity during free play. In summary, the study found meaningful associations between mothers' and fathers' romantic attachment and their PRF indicating a spill-over of their attachment strategies into their relationship with their child. Further, the study results suggest that very high levels of interest and curiosity in mothers reflect hypermentalizing.

Anxiety and depressive symptoms in first-time parents: A dyadic longitudinal study based on attachment theory.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine the temporal and dyadic associations between anxiety and depressive symptoms during the transition to parenthood (TTP), while exploring the antecedence of attachment insecurities in these associations. METHOD: Couples of first-time parents (N = 211) completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, the Experiences in Close Relationships scale, and a sociodemographic questionnaire during the second trimester of pregnancy and at four and twelve months postpartum. RESULTS: Both prenatal anxiety and depressive symptoms predicted postnatal depressive and anxiety symptoms. Prenatal attachment-related anxiety predicted higher postnatal anxiety and depressive symptoms whereas prenatal attachment-related avoidance predicted higher postnatal depressive symptoms only. Parents whose partners had a higher level of prenatal attachment-related anxiety experienced higher postnatal anxious and depressive symptoms via their own's prenatal depressive symptoms. Parents whose partners had a higher level of prenatal attachment-related avoidance experienced higher postnatal depressive symptoms via their own's prenatal anxious symptoms. No gender differences were found for these associations. LIMITATIONS: The sample was predominantly composed of educated heterosexual French-Canadian Caucasian couples and all measures were self-reported. CONCLUSIONS: Our original findings suggest that professionals should routinely screen for anxiety and depressive symptoms in both partners from pregnancy up to one year postpartum. Also, our findings suggest addressing attachment insecurities with both partners to prevent the development of future symptoms during pregnancy or after childbirth. Finally, our study supports the relevance of considering these symptoms at subclinical levels during the TTP.

The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-Dyadic version: A new tool for the evaluation of the dyadic dysregulation in couple relationships.

A new measure for assessing an individual's perception of the dyadic difficulties in emotion regulation with a romantic partner is tested. The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-Dyadic (DERS-D) was obtained by adapting some items of the previous Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) to the dyadic context. The scale was administered both to a sample of university students (N = 835) to explore its factorial structure and to a convenience sample (N = 833) together with the DERS, the DERS-Positive, the Emotion Beliefs Questionnaire (EBQ), and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) to confirm the factorial structure and to explore its construct validity. Results highlight that DERS-D measures two distinct features, namely the lack of dyadic awareness and the lack of dyadic clarity, and that configural invariance across genders was met. DERS-D subscales' internal consistency was high. The correlations between the DERS-D and the other measures demonstrated its construct and criterion validity. The promising nature of these results is discussed in light of the potential clinical and empirical uses of the DERS-D.

Postpartum romantic attachment and constructiveness: The protective effects of a conflict communication intervention for parents' relationship functioning over one year.

Parent relationship functioning has a well-documented influence on children's early socioemotional development as early as infancy. Postpartum parenting is also a critically vulnerable period for relationships and often results in relationship decline. We investigated the effects of a rigorous, psycho-educational conflict communication intervention for supporting parents' relationship functioning in terms of self-reported romantic attachment and observed conflict constructiveness. Using latent growth curve models, we evaluated the change in romantic attachment and constructiveness among 202 mother-father couples from 6 to 18 months postpartum. We further tested a comparison of the effects of the Conflict Intervention (CI) versus the control group and the Conflict Intervention paired with an additional parent sensitivity intervention (anyCI) versus the control group. Results indicated romantic attachment and observed constructiveness decreased over the 1-year period; this decline was partially mitigated for fathers participating in the intervention(s), wherein fathers who received the Conflict Intervention showed less decline in observed conflict constructiveness over time. Moreover, compared with those in the control condition, mothers who received the Conflict Intervention reported lower attachment security at 18 months postpartum. These results underscore the importance of including perspectives from both mothers and fathers when investigating intervention effects and considering the impact of combining interventions for parents. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: A randomized control trial of a conflict intervention including mothers and fathers demonstrates protective effects for fathers' constructiveness between 6 and 18 months postpartum but was not protective for mothers. Parenting experience, whether parents were transitioning to parenthood or had older children, did not significantly predict romantic attachment or behavioral constructiveness trajectories. Interparental romantic attachment and constructiveness declined only slightly postpartum. Effects of the intervention were reduced when the intervention was combined with a second intervention.

Romantic Attachment and Intimate Partner Violence Perpetrated by Men: The Role of Affect Dysregulation and Gender Hostility.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major public health problem, associated with considerable consequences for the victims. Among the risk factors associated with the perpetration of male IPV, attachment insecurities (avoidance, anxiety) and affect dysregulation (AD) have received strong empirical support. A few studies showed that hostility toward women (HTW) is a correlate of IPV perpetration, but none have explored hostility toward men (HTM). This study's aim was to test direct and indirect associations between romantic attachment insecurities and IPV perpetration (psychological, physical, and sexual coercion) through AD in men seeking help, and to examine the moderator role of HTW and HTM in theses links. A sample of 1,845 men aged between 18 and 88 years and from a diverse population (e.g., cultural background, education, and sexual orientation) were recruited through 18 community organizations providing IPV services in a Canadian province. As part of the systematic assessment protocol of each organization, participants answered a series of online questionnaires. Results from a path analysis model showed indirect associations between attachment insecurities (avoidance and anxiety) and IPV perpetration (psychological, physical, and sexual coercion) through AD. Beyond these links, attachment avoidance was also directly associated with psychological violence, attachment anxiety with sexual coercion, and HTM with sexual coercion. The results revealed two moderation effects: higher HTW amplified the link between AD and physical IPV, whereas higher HTM amplified the link between AD and sexual coercion. Results highlight the relevance of assessing attachment, AD, and gender hostility in IPV programs. They also highlight the relevance of targeting HTM as a risk marker for IPV perpetration in men.

Can a kiss conquer all? The predictive utility of idealized first kiss beliefs on reports of romantic love among U.S. adults.

Research indicates that idealized romantic expectations and the extent to which they are met, are important predictors of relationship outcomes (e.g., love). However, no studies have investigated the impact of idealized beliefs associated with specific behaviors (e.g., kissing) on reports of romantic love. Thus, the two studies comprising this research assessed the association between idealized beliefs related to one's first romantic kiss with their current partner, unmet first kiss expectations, and reports of romantic love. Romantic attachment was also examined as a moderator. In Study One, the First Kiss Beliefs Scale was created and the results from 208 adults revealed that increased endorsement of idealized first kiss beliefs was associated with greater romantic love (r = 0.25). Romantic attachment also moderated this relationship, such that idealized first kiss beliefs significantly predicted love for those high in attachment anxiety and low in avoidance (ß = 0.68 and ß = 0.18, respectively). In Study Two, the First Kiss Beliefs Scale was modified to assess outcomes and expectations to capture unmet expectations. The results from 234 adults indicated that idealized first kiss beliefs predicted a greater proportion of the variance in romantic love (sr2 = 0.10) than did unmet expectations (sr2 = 0.07). A three-way interaction was also detected such that, among those low in attachment anxiety, the relationship between kissing beliefs and love was positive for those high in attachment avoidance and negative for those low. These results indicate that idealized first kiss expectations with one's current romantic partner are important predictors of love (beyond whether these expectations were met), particularly for those high in attachment insecurity. Implications are discussed for practitioners and those in the primary stages of romantic relationships.

The Impact of Romantic Attachment Styles on Jealousy in Young Adults.

Background: Romantic attachment is reflected in various aspects of dyadic interaction in a couple, since it is a self-reinforcing system of cognitive, emotional and behavioral patterns. Romantic jealousy was shown to be associated with dimensions of attachment insecurity in various studies worldwide. Objectives: To identify differences in expressions of romantic jealousy based on romantic attachment style. To determine the influence of attachment-related anxiety and attachment-related avoidance on cognitive, emotional, and behavioral jealousy. Design: The sample comprised 171 heterosexual individuals. The "Experiences in Close Relationships - Revised" questionnaire (ECR-R; Fraley, Waller, & Brennan, 2000; adapted for Russian by Chursina, 2022) and "Multidimensional Jealousy Scale" (MJS; Pfeiffer, & Wong, 1989) were used. Results: A number of significant differences were identified between insecure and secure attachment styles. Avoidant attachment is characterized by cognitive jealousy, ambivalent attachment is characterized by cognitive and behavioral jealousy, while dismissing attachment showed no significant differences in the manifestations of jealousy in comparison with secure attachment style. Emotional jealousy is equally characteristic of all types. The primacy of romantic attachment in relation to cognitive and behavioral jealousy was also proved. Conclusion: The experience of jealousy differs among romantic attachment styles. Attachment-related anxiety is a predictor of intrusive thoughts and behavioral manifestations of jealousy, while attachment-related avoidance is less, the greater the manifestation of jealousy behaviors.

Cultural adaptation and validation of the Italian version of the current relationship interview.

Background: The study of romantic relationships is based on attachment theory and the Current Relationship Interview (CRI) is a powerful tool that allows the optimal investigation of attachment representations toward romantic partners. However, evidence in this field is still unsatisfactory and further research is needed. This study aims to examine the associations between the adult attachment to partner, the style of conflict resolution, and dyadic adjustment. Methods: We administrated the Italian version of the CRI, the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS), and the Rahim Organizational Conflict Inventory questionnaire - Section II (ROCI II) - to a sample of 100 heterosexual couples. Results: Individuals with preoccupied attachment reported lower levels of dyadic adjustment and men, but not women, with preoccupied attachment reported lower levels of dyadic cohesion. Levels of dyadic adjustment reported by women/men did not vary according to their attachment types. Levels of dyadic adjustment reported by couples and by women did not vary according to the matching status of attachment types between partners. However, men in romantic relationship characterized by a mismatch between attachment types reported higher levels of consensus compared to their counterparts. Conclusion: The Italian version of the CRI proves an useful tool to investigate processes underlying romantic relationships. The role of current attachment in these processes appears to be highly complex and its investigation might be impacted by methodological issues, calling for additional studies.

Romantic Attachment, Relationship Satisfaction, Internalized Sexual Stigma, and Motives for Parenthood in Italian Lesbian Women and Gay Men.

This study examines romantic attachment, internalized sexual stigma, relationship satisfaction, and motives for parenthood in a sample of 313 Italian lesbian women (47.9%) and gay men (52.1%) aged 18-71 years (M = 36.2; SD = 11.9) and in same-sex relationships. The following hypotheses were tested: that romantic attachment is positively correlated with internalized stigma and motives to not have children, while it is negatively correlated with relationship satisfaction; that relationship satisfaction is negatively correlated with internalized stigma and motives for parenthood; that internalized stigma is negatively correlated with motives for parenthood; and that relationship satisfaction mediates the relationships between romantic attachment and motives for parenthood and between internalized stigma and motives for parenthood. The results strongly support the hypotheses. Furthermore, the results indicate that the lesbian participants reported lower levels of avoidance and internalized stigma and higher levels of relationship satisfaction and motives to not have children, and the participants in civil unions reported lower levels of anxiety and internalized stigma and higher levels of relationship satisfaction and motives to not have children. Taken together, our findings contribute to the growing body of research on LG parenthood and may inform social policy and psychological support for LG individuals pursuing parenthood.

Romantic attachment security buffers the effect of stress on anxiety in college students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background and objectives: The stressors of the COVID-19 pandemic spurred alarming levels of stress and anxiety in college students. It is important to identify factors that attenuate the negative effect of stress on anxiety. Framed by the attachment diathesis-stress process perspective, this study examined how the two dimensions of insecurity in romantic attachment-attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance-buffered the effect of stress on anxiety in a population of college students during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Design and methods: The study employed cross-sectional and correlation designs and used an online survey to gather self-report data from a sample of 453 college students. Data were collected from March 15, 2020, to February 16, 2021. Results: Anxiety, stress, and the two insecurity dimensions were all mutually correlated with one another. Multiple regression analysis revealed that as the level of attachment anxiety increased, the association of stress and anxiety turned stronger. Conclusions: The findings suggest that targeting attachment insecurity may prove to be fruitful when helping college students effectively regulate stress to lessen levels of anxiety.

Vinculação amorosa, conflitos interparentais e sintomatologia psicopatológica: contribuição para os conflitos no namoro em jovens adultos / Romantic attachment, interparental conflicts and psychopathologic symptoms: The contribution for dating conflicts in young adults

Resumo. Objetivo. Analisar em que medida a qualidade da vinculação amorosa, a presença de sintomatologia psicopatológica e os conflitos interparentais predizem os conflitos no namoro em jovens adultos. Método. A amostra foi constituída por 505 indivíduos, 366 (72.5%) do sexo feminino, com idades compreendidas entre os 18 e os 25 anos (M = 20.59; DP = 1.78). Resultados. Os resultados apontam que conflitos interparentais, a sintomatologia psicopatológica e a ambivalência na vinculação amorosa predizem negativamente estratégias de resolução não abusivas no namoro. As estratégias de resolução abusivas e os comportamentos violentos no namoro são preditos positivamente pela sintomatologia psicopatológica, conflitos interparentais e a ambivalência na vinculação amorosa. O sexo feminino associou-se às resoluções não abusivas, enquanto o sexo masculino se associou à resolução de conflitos abusivos e comportamentos violentos.

Abstract. Objective. This study aims to analyze to what extent the quality of the romantic attachment, the presence of psychopathological symptoms, and the inter-parental conflicts predict dating conflicts in young adults. Method. The sample comprised 505 individuals, 366 (72.5%) females, aged between 18 and 25 (M = 20.59; SD = 1.78). Results. The results indicate that interparental conflict, psychopathological symptomatology, and ambivalence in romantic attachment negatively predict non-abusive resolution strategies in dating. Abusive coping strategies and dating violence were positively predicted by psychopathological symptoms, inter-parental conflicts, and dating attachment ambivalence. These were also negatively predicted by interpersonal sensitivity and trust in the romantic attachment. Females were associated with non-abusive conflict resolution strategies, whereas males were associated with abusive conflict resolution strategies and violent behaviors.

Fitness Costs of Insecure Romantic Attachment: The Role of Reproductive Motivation and Long-Term Mating.

Attachment styles are frequently viewed from within the evolutionary conceptual framework; however, their associations with evolutionary fitness are very rarely empirically explored. In the present research (N = 448), we analyzed the relations between romantic attachment (anxiety and avoidance) and various fitness indicators in Serbian adults: matting patterns (short and long-term mating), reproductive motivation, reproductive success (age of first birth, number of children, and grandchildren), and kin care (care for biological relatives in general and care for children). Congruent negative associations between insecure styles and fitness outcomes were found: this is particularly true for avoidance, which is negatively related to long-term mating, reproductive motivation, number of children, and kin care. Furthermore, the data showed that reproductive motivation and long-term mating may mediate the links between avoidance and the number of children. Anxiety was negatively related to reproductive motivation and the number of children; this attachment style was also negatively associated with care for children, but only in males. The present data suggest that secure romantic bonding may be evolutionary adaptive; the obtained results contradict some evolutionary theories that assume that insecure attachment has some adaptive benefits as well. Findings provide new insights into the role of romantic attachment in the behavioral ecology of pair bonding.

Treatment of adjustment disorder stemming from romantic betrayal using memory reactivation under propranolol: A open-label interrupted time series trial.

OBJECTIVES: In a sustained relationship, romantic betrayal is a catastrophic event that can precipitate an adjustment disorder (AD). Surprisingly, there exists no empirically validated treatment for AD, despite its high prevalence in clinical practice. Considering the promise of memory reactivation under propranolol (i.e., reconsolidation interference) for treating posttraumatic stress disorder, we sought to extend this finding to AD, given that in both disorders, symptoms stem from an identified stressor. METHOD: A single-blind interrupted time series design was used to examine the efficacy of memory reactivation under propranolol to alleviate symptoms of AD. After being placed on a 4-week waitlist, sixty-one participants received 5 weekly 25-min treatments during which they recalled the betrayal event, 1 h after having orally ingested the beta-blocker propranolol. RESULTS: Segmented regression analyses on the intent-to-treat sample revealed that AD symptoms significantly decreased during the treatment phase (pre/post Cohen's d = 1.44), compared to the waitlist phase (d = 0.01). Significant pre/post reductions in anxio-depressive symptomatology were also found. Improvement was maintained at the 4-month follow-up on all outcomes. CONCLUSION: Memory reactivation under propranolol shows promise in reducing symptoms of AD. This study provides the theoretical framework and necessary effect sizes to inform larger, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials.

Emotional and social cognitive predictors of sexual risk indicators among adolescents in committed and noncommitted partnerships.

INTRODUCTION: Little is known about the risks of casual sexual partnerships during adolescence despite many adolescents having sex within noncommitted relationships. We applied theories of adult attachment, planned behavior, and problem behavior to examine emotional and social cognitive predictors of variability in sexual risk indicators among adolescents in committed and noncommitted partnerships. METHOD: Data were drawn from 801 adolescents (53.6% females; aged 14-20 years (M = 16.25)) living in a southern state in the United States. RESULTS: Findings showed that healthy sex attitudes were related to knowing one's sexual partner longer; this association was stronger for females, particularly those in noncommitted sexual partnerships. Additionally, healthy sex attitudes predicted fewer sexual partners across adolescents, except for male adolescents in noncommitted sexual partnerships. Romantic attachment insecurity and constraining relationship beliefs had different associations with sexual risk indicators according to gender and relationship status. CONCLUSION: Findings contribute to the current understanding of risks associated with adolescents' sexual engagement and offer insights into adolescents' casual sexual partnerships.

Attachment Style and Its Relationships with Early Memories of Separation Anxiety and Adult Separation Anxiety Symptoms among Emerging Adults.

Emerging adulthood concerns the transition from adolescence to adulthood. It foresees the separation from the family and the creation of new significant relationships, whereby specific attachment styles might be triggered when facing these challenges. The present study investigates the influence of retrospective memories associated with childhood separation anxiety symptoms upon emerging adults' romantic avoidant vs. anxious attachment styles including adult separation anxiety symptoms as mediators. Age and gender were included as covariates. A community sample of N = 394 Italian emerging adults (Mage = 23.64, SD = 4.00, 70% females) completed self-report measures. The results showed that the participants presented a greater anxious attachment rather than an avoidant attachment style. Moreover, both adult separation anxiety and the memories of early separation anxiety were positively and significantly associated with anxious attachment and not with avoidant attachment. A mediation model conducted and focused on anxious attachment showed that, although not directly associated, child separation anxiety did show a significant positive indirect effect on anxious attachment as mediated by adult separation anxiety symptoms. Thus, the findings highlighted the influence of adult separation anxiety symptoms and retrospective childhood memories of separation anxiety upon anxious adult romantic attachment, yet not on avoidant attachment style. Clinical implications are discussed and suggestions for future research are provided.

Changes in Attachment and Commitment in Couples Transitioning to Parenthood.

This study examined whether attachment predicts changes in commitment and whether commitment predicts changes in attachment in both partners during the transition to parenthood. Both partners of 93 couples completed online questionnaires individually at the second trimester of pregnancy and at 4 months postpartum. Autoregressive cross-lagged path analyses based on the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model tested the bidirectional associations between attachment dimensions (anxiety and avoidance) and three modes of commitment (optimal, over-commitment, and under-commitment). Results revealed that for both partners, prenatal attachment avoidance was associated with a decrease in optimal commitment and an increase in under-commitment from pre- to postpartum. Fathers' attachment anxiety was associated with a decrease in mothers' under-commitment. Furthermore, prenatal optimal commitment was associated with a decrease in attachment avoidance, whereas under-commitment was associated with an increase in attachment avoidance. Fathers' prenatal over-commitment was associated with an increase in their own attachment anxiety and avoidance. These results highlight how attachment insecurities and relationship commitment interrelate during this major transition.

Romantic Attachment, Internalized Homonegativity, and Same-Sex Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration Among Lesbian Women in Italy.

Same-Sex Intimate Partner Violence (SSIPV) among lesbian women has been underestimated until few decades ago. While the association between romantic attachment and SSIPV has been widely demonstrated, mechanisms that mediate this association and the complex relationships between romantic attachment, SSIPV, and SSIPV-specific risk factors have not been adequately investigated to date. The current study assessed the influence of romantic attachment on SSIPV perpetration among lesbian women, exploring the mediating role of internalized homonegativity within this association. Three hundred and twenty-five Italian lesbian women with a mean age of 30 years were recruited and completed the following self-report measures: the Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised (ECR-R), the Measure of Internalized Sexual Stigma, and the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale Short Form. The results showed a positive association between attachment anxiety, and general and psychological SSIPV perpetration. Similarly, attachment avoidance was positively related with general, psychological, and physical SSIPV perpetration. The association between romantic attachment, and general and psychological SSIPV was partially mediated by internalized homonegativity. These findings have theoretical implications and provide valuable information to implement services and interventions tailored for SSIPV, to date scarce and not effective.

The Impact of Parent-Child Closeness and Romantic Attachment on Dating Violence Perpetration in Adolescence.

Past research has demonstrated that romantic attachment insecurity is a risk factor for dating violence in adolescence. However, few studies to date have longitudinally examined whether earlier relational experience, such as perceived closeness with parents, may serve as an antecedent of this relationship. To examine longitudinal associations among youths' perceived closeness with parents, romantic attachment insecurity, and perpetration of dating violence in adolescence. Adolescents (N = 1016) were recruited from seven public high schools in south Texas and reported on their perceived closeness with parents, romantic attachment styles, and perpetration of physical and psychological dating violence at three assessments between 2010 and 2014. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Adolescents' romantic attachment anxiety, but not attachment avoidance, significantly mediated the relationship between low perceived closeness with parents and the perpetration of physical and psychological dating violence in late adolescence. Multi-group analyses showed the mediation model only held for females but not males, and for Hispanic youth but not for Non-Hispanic White, African American, and youth of other races and ethnicities. Through its link to romantic attachment anxiety, perceived closeness with parents could play an important role in the perpetration of dating violence in adolescence, especially for girls and Hispanic youth. Findings suggest that dating violence interventions may benefit from targeting aspects of parent-child relationships.

Romantic attachment, childhood stability, depression, and PTSD in couples with an incarcerated partner.

Incarceration has a multitude of effects on prisoners' finances, health, education, employment, and family relationships. Incarceration complicates the maintenance of attachment bonds between romantic partners. Data from the Multi-site Family Study on Incarceration, Parenting, and Partnering were analyzed to examine the effects of childhood stability on adult romantic attachment while controlling for the effects of PTSD and depression within the carceral population. Findings indicate that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression have statistically significant effects on adult romantic attachment. PTSD on romantic attachment for men is statistically significant (p < 0.05) at -0.193 with an overall standardized effect of -0.086. For women, the effect is statistically significant (p < 0.01) at -0.235 with an overall standardized effect of -0.1. Effects of depression on romantic attachment for men is statistically significant (p < 0.001) -0.129 with an overall standardized effect of -0.229. For women, depression is also statistically significant (p < 0.001) at -0.153 with a standardized effect of -0.265. We examined the effects of childhood stability on adult romantic attachment while controlling for the effects of PTSD and depression within the carceral population. Findings supported our hypothesis that individuals with better childhood stability will experience better romantic attachments. Findings related to our hypothesis that having a partner with better childhood stability is positively associated with better romantic attachment produced mixed results. Clinical implications are discussed, and future directions call for research, practice, and training to improve outcomes for justice-involved romantic partners, their attachment, and consideration of covariates of depression and PTSD.