This study examined the correlations between intimate partner violence, interpersonal dependency and anger (state and trait) among female adults in South Korea. In this study, different results were founded according to age. Among the subjects aged 30 – 49, there was no difference interpersonal dependency according to experience of intimate partner violence. However, among the subjects aged 18 – 29, interpersonal dependency was found to differ according to experience of intimate partner violence.
Romantic relationships are subject to age-related changes. As people get older, their experience increases their ability to sustain a relationship, reduce conflict, and choose more compatible partners. Dependent personality disorder is characterized by an enduring pattern of pervasive and excessive psychological dependency on other people, fear of separation, and passive, clinging, and submissive behavior, it begins by early adulthood. Adolescence is an important period for beginning state of learning through experience, and laying the foundation for healthy and stable relationships.
Therefore, it is may be important to focus on reducing interpersonal dependency and fostering autonomy in adolescence, in order to ensure that individuals are able to achieve healthy relationships in adulthood. Also, it may be necessary to assess interpersonal dependency among victims of intimate partner violence and implement interventions (e.g. mindfulness therapy) to reduce it. Mindfulness therapy has been shown to reduce interpersonal dependency in a study of 70 undergraduate students with high interpersonal dependency.
State-trait anger were significantly positive correlated to intimate partner violence victimization and interpersonal dependency. Anger is often the result of anxiety or stress in interpersonal relationships. Individuals who experience thwarted belongingness due to hostile relationships show an increased risk of aggressive behaviors, and excessive anger and aggressive behaviors are known to be characteristics of intimate partner violence victims.
There are many studies on the relationship between victimization and revictimization. In recent studies have found that perpetration and victimization experiences are often interrelated. Furthermore, bidirectional violence that causes higher injuries has also been reported. Therefore, it is important to understand the relationship between intimate partner violence victimization, interpersonal dependency, and anger for intervention to prevent recurrence of intimate partner violence.
However, it is difficult to identify victim’s anger even if practitioners meet the victims of intimate partner violence at their workplace. Highly dependent individuals are described as very sensitive to frustration, and particularly to interpersonal rejection, they would typically inhibit their anger, especially towards significant others, for fear of losing their love and support. Therefore, practitioners should consider the need to screening their potential anger in developing an initial intervention protocol for victims of intimate partner violence.
Practitioners are required to have knowledge and skills for reducing interpersonal dependency and improving anger management. If practitioners meet a victim of intimate partner violence, they should educate them about psychological and mental side effects that they may experience, including interpersonal dependency and anger. The participants of a qualitative study on survivors of intimate partner violence requested health education workshops, community resources, and social support.
Therefore, we recommend that developing the community-based educational programs focus on how to develop independence and manage anger for intimate partner violence victims. Furthermore, if practitioners meet a person with high level of interpersonal dependency or high level of anger, then the person should be understood as a high-risk of intimate personal violence victimization.
However, it can be difficult to detect intimate partner violence victimization in its earliest stages who are willing to participate in interventions. Women with highly dependency do not want to leave their partners and they are reluctant to tell about violence because they are afraid to be blamed for not being released from violence.
Therefore, a protocol for early detection of victims of intimate partner violence should be developed. It could be that women who disclose experiences of intimate partner violence do so because they expect positive or helpful reaction. The practitioners should be trained on how to reaction to victims to reduce victim’s dependency and fear of disclosing the intimate partner violence.
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