Partner violence in women - Associations with childhood maltreatment, attachment style and Major Depression

This study investigated trauma in the form of lifetime experience of partner violence (PV) and childhood maltreatment in relation to major depression in an adult sample of women. PV was more common among those from lower income households, single mothers and those separated from a partner. Dose-response effects were found for multiples of childhood trauma and adversity, adult adversity and the presence of PV. There was also a relationship between PV and anxious attachment style and recurrent major depression. Regression models showed that multiple childhood adversity, multiple adult adversity and anxious attachment style predicted recurrent depression, PV did not add to the model. Understanding PV in terms of adult attachment style as well as multiple adversity could benefit the focus of therapeutic and social interventions.