The long shadow of childhood abuse on marriages: Insights from Israeli Arabs

Thursday, July 18, 2024.

As a marriage and family therapist, I've seen firsthand how past traumas can cast a long shadow over present relationships.

A recent study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships brings this into sharp focus.

It reveals that Israeli Arabs who experienced higher levels of physical abuse in childhood often face poorer marriage quality as adults.

These folks also tend to report higher levels of psychological distress and are more likely to exhibit insecure attachment styles.

Understanding Childhood Maltreatment

Childhood maltreatment encompasses various forms of abuse and neglect, including physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, as well as neglect and exposure to domestic violence. Physical abuse involves force that can cause injury or pain.

Emotional abuse damages a child’s self-worth or emotional health through behaviors like verbal abuse, manipulation, and rejection.

Sexual abuse includes any sexual activity with a child, while neglect refers to the failure to meet a child’s basic needs. Witnessing domestic violence is another form of maltreatment, exposing children to harmful behaviors between caregivers.

The Study's Focus and Context

Shireen Sokar of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem led this study, focusing on the effects of childhood physical and emotional abuse on marital relationships among heterosexual married Arab adults in Israel.

This context is particularly interesting due to the collectivistic and patriarchal nature of Israeli Arab society.

In these communities, intimate relationships are generally only acceptable within the bounds of marriage and religious laws, making the establishment of a family a crucial societal goal. This differs from European and North American societies, where cohabitation without marriage is more common.

Key Findings

The study involved 604 married Israeli Arabs, including 303 women, aged 20 to 60. Participants completed a survey assessing childhood maltreatment, romantic attachment styles, psychological distress, and marital relationship quality. The results were telling:

• Higher Physical Abuse: Participants who reported greater physical abuse in childhood showed more pronounced attachment avoidance and anxiety, higher psychological distress, and lower marital relationship quality.

• Emotional Abuse: While similar associations were found for childhood emotional abuse, they were weaker than those for physical abuse.

• Attachment Styles: Individuals with high attachment avoidance tend to keep an emotional distance from others and fear intimacy. High attachment anxiety involves a strong fear of rejection, leading to excessive worry about the stability of close relationships.

Gender Differences:

The study also highlighted gender differences in these associations:

• Men: For men, childhood physical abuse led to higher psychological distress and attachment avoidance, which lowered marital quality.

• Women: In women, childhood physical abuse resulted in psychological distress and attachment avoidance, which similarly lowered marital quality. Emotional abuse, however, only increased attachment anxiety without affecting marital quality when psychological distress and attachment avoidance were controlled.

Implications for Therapy

As Sokar concludes, "Implementing interventions focused on improving mental health and promoting a secure romantic attachment style can enhance the quality of marital relationships for adults with childhood maltreatment experiences." This study underscores the importance of addressing past traumas in therapy to improve current relationships.

Limitations and Future Research

It's important to note that this study relied on participants' memories of childhood maltreatment, not objective data. Longitudinal studies that track maltreatment as it happens might yield different results.

Final thoughts

The study, "Childhood maltreatment and the quality of marital relationships: Examining mediating pathways and gender differences," authored by Shireen Sokar, offers valuable insights into how childhood abuse can ripple into adult relationships. As therapists, recognizing and addressing these deep-seated issues can help our clients build healthier, more fulfilling marriages.

Be Well, Stay Kind, and Godspeed.

REFERENCES:

Sokar, S. (2024). Childhood maltreatment and the quality of marital relationships: Examining mediating pathways and gender differences. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 41(7), 1959-1979. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075241232168