ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE, DYSFUNCTIONAL ATTACHMENT STYLE AND ALEXITHYMIA AT WOMEN DISPLAYING SOMATOFORM DISORDERS
O. P. Velea, C. G. Ionescu, T. Soare, A. Z. C. Anton, M. A. Dobra, G. Bobîrnac, D. Spînu, D. C. Gheorghe
Abstract: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major reason of concern worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the associations between alexithymia, dysfunctional attachment style and somatoform disorders (SD) at women victims of
IPV.
Methods. 40 female patients (mean age=41.55, standard deviation=10.33) with a history of IPV, confirmed through the
Women Abuse Screening Tool (WAST) were compared to a control group (n=40, mean age=43.90, standard deviation=8.30). All participants were administered the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) for alexithymia, the Adult Attachment Scale (AAS), the WAST test and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-15) for SD. t-tests, Pearson’s correlations and MANOVA were used to test the significance of group differences.
Results. Women victims of IPV had higher scores in alexithymia and SD (p<.001) compared to controls. SD correlated highly to IPV (r=.537, p<.001) and moderately (r=.349-|.449, p<.001) to attachment styles. Alexithymia correlated highly to IPV(r=.633, p<.001). The MANOVA analysis displayed an important influence of IPV on various components of alexithymia and on SD. This influence is distinct, and almost exclusively independent of the attachment style.
Conclusions. IPV is a significant risk factor for alexithymia and SD.This supports the need for early psychological interventions in IPV, addressing the cognitive and emotional components of IPV. Keywords: intimate partner violence, alexithymia, attachment style, somatoform disorders
 is a major reason of concern worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the associations between alexithymia, dysfunctional attachment style and somatoform disorders (SD) at women victims of
IPV.
Methods. 40 female patients (mean age=41.55, standard deviation=10.33) with a history of IPV, confirmed through the
Women Abuse Screening Tool (WAST) were compared to a control group (n=40, mean age=43.90, standard deviation=8.30). All participants were administered the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) for alexithymia, the Adult Attachment Scale (AAS), the WAST test and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-15) for SD. t-tests, Pearson’s correlations and MANOVA were used to test the significance of group differences.
Results. Women victims of IPV had higher scores in alexithymia and SD (p<.001) compared to controls. SD correlated highly to IPV (r=.537, p<.001) and moderately (r=.349-|.449, p<.001) to attachment styles. Alexithymia correlated highly to IPV(r=.633, p<.001). The MANOVA analysis displayed an important influence of IPV on various components of alexithymia and on SD. This influence is distinct, and almost exclusively independent of the attachment style.
Conclusions. IPV is a significant risk factor for alexithymia and SD.This supports the need for early psychological interventions in IPV, addressing the cognitive and emotional components of IPV.&redirect_uri=http://rjlm.ro/index.php/arhiv/837)