Kylie L. Walls’s research while affiliated with Charles Sturt University and other places

Purpose In the extant literature on Intimate Partner Violence, control in intimate relationships remains relatively under-explored. In the current study, we explore the utility of insecure attachment styles (i.e., anxious attachment and avoidant attachment), emotion dysregulation, and shame-proneness to predict the perpetration of control in intimate relationships. Further, we explore the direct and indirect association between insecure attachment and control through emotion dysregulation and shame-proneness. We hypothesised all variables would be positive predictors of control in intimate relationships and that high insecure attachment would be related to more emotion dysregulation and shame-proneness, which in turn would relate to more control. Method Participants (N = 328; 67.4% women; Mage = 34.4 years, SD = 10.95) completed an online questionnaire that included measures of attachment, shame-proneness, emotion dysregulation, and controlling behaviors in intimate relationships. Results Hypotheses were partially supported. Higher anxious attachment, avoidant attachment, and emotion dysregulation predicted more control in intimate relationships. Both anxious and avoidant attachment related to higher emotion dysregulation, which in turn related to more perpetration of control in intimate relationships. Interestingly, anxious attachment related to increased shame, which related to less control in intimate relationships. Conclusion By clarifying the role of anxious attachment, avoidant attachment, and emotion dysregulation as critical elements in the perpetration of control in intimate relationships, our study makes valuable contributions to understanding the underlying mechanisms contributing to this significant societal problem. We propose that future research exploring control in intimate relationships seeks to explore the utility of interventions targeting attachment insecurity.