The Domino Effect: Intimate Partner Violence, Attachment, & Social Competence

In this thesis I explored how exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) affects attachment to the mother and how attachment to the mother affects social competence in toddlers. I reviewed the literature to outline a mediational model of the concepts of exposure to IPV and social competence utilizing attachment as the mediator. Generally speaking, IPV exposure can lead to an insecure mother-child bond. An insecure attachment style can, in turn, impact the child’s social competence. A lack of social competence can affect the child for his/her entire lifespan. It is imperative that society begins to understand that a child does not need to witness violence to be affected by it. The mother-child bond can be made insecure by direct and indirect exposure to IPV. Additionally, measures need to be taken to inform the public, especially caregivers and educators, that lack of social competence can be an indicator for exposure to IPV