Date of Award

2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Sara Haden

Committee Chair and Members

Sara Haden, Chair

Gary Kose

Keywords

Attachment, Child maltreatment, Cycle of violence, Overprotection, Parental care, Protective factors

Abstract

There is an abundance of research that explore risk factors that demonstrate the cycle of violence. This study sought to highlight protective factors and why some do not perpetuate the cycle of violence. Participants consisted of 578 undergraduate males and females. Through the use archival data from several questionnaires, the study sought to learn if parental care and overprotection can break the cycle of violence. Moreover, it was hypothesized that (1) There will be a significant negative relationship between parental care and adult violence (2) There will be a significant positive relationship between insecure attachment and adult violence (3) There will be a significant positive relationship between child maltreatment and adult violence. (4) The relationship between child maltreatment and adult violence will be mediated by parental care. Thus, there will be a significant positive indirect, effect and as care decreases adult violence increases. (5) The relationship between child maltreatment and adult violence will also be mediated by overprotection; specifically, there will be a significant positive, indirect effect. (6) The relationship between child maltreatment and adult violence will be partially mediated by insecure forms of attachment. The first hypothesis was not supported, the second hypothesis was supported, and the third hypothesis was not supported. There was an indirect effect of trauma on adult violence through care. Furthermore, as predicted, preoccupied attachment was significantly positively related to adult violence. There was also a significant positive indirect effect of child maltreatment on adult violence through fearful attachment. The results demonstrate that parenting care and secure attachment may not be a strong barrier to violence where child maltreatment exists.

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