Abstract:

The study aims to examine the mediating role of borderline personality pattern and separation anxiety in adults in the relationship between childhood traumas and exposure to abuse in romantic relationships, to emphasize some factors that may cause violence in relationships, and to support initiatives to prevent exposure to partner violence. For the research, 400 participants aged 18-55 residing in Istanbul were determined by a simple random sampling method. After that, a Socio-demographic Information Form, Childhood Traumas Questionnaire (CTQ-33), Romantic Relationship Assessment Inventory (RRAI), Borderline Personality Questionnaire (BPQ), and Adult Separation Anxiety Questionnaire (ASAQ) were given to them. The data obtained from the study were evaluated with the SPSS-25 statistical analysis program. Relationships between scales were evaluated with Pearson Correlation analysis, and mediating roles were evaluated with PROCESS 3.5 Macro. All analyses were based on a 95% confidence interval. When the research findings were examined, A positive correlation was found between the Childhood Traumas Questionnaire and all its subscales, the Borderline Personality Questionnaire and all its subscales, and the Adult Separation Anxiety Questionnaire and the Romantic Relationship Assessment Scale. Research results show that childhood traumas predict exposure to abuse in romantic relationships and that borderline personality traits and adult separation anxiety play a partial mediating role in this relationship. It has also been determined that adult separation anxiety predicts borderline personality traits. As a result of the study, it is shown that in the case of abuse and neglect experiences in childhood, whether individuals are exposed to abuse in romantic relationships or not is related to borderline personality traits and low tolerance for separation. Study results reveal that separation anxiety significantly predicts borderline personality traits (34%), indicating that separation anxiety can be targeted as a key point in the repetitive abuse pattern. Another result of the study is that the increase in separation anxiety in borderline personality traits is associated with low economic levels. The current result reveals the importance of economic independence in exploitation patterns.

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