Physical abuse in childhood and fear of intimacy in adult intimate relationships

In the present study we analyzed the relation between physical abuse in childhood (measured with scale developed by M. Straus) and fear of intimacy in adult intimate relationships (measured with Fear-of-intimacy Scale made by C. J. Descutner and M. N. Thelen). The sample included 355 respondents, among them 123 men and 232 women. They were divided into four study groups: divorced (N = 42), married (N = 79), cohabitants (N = 58), and those who are dating, but do not live together (N = 179). We were interested in how both groups, namely physically abused in childhood and never physically abused male and female respondents differ in fear of intimacy in adult intimate relationships. These differences were examined within each study group and also between different study groups. We also studied whether there is any relation between the frequency of physical abuse in childhood and the fear of intimacy in adult intimate relationships. The results demonstrated that 80% of participants were physically abused in childhood (according to the criteria of Straus' questionnaire). Among them more men were abused than women. Men, who were not physically abused, exert less fear of intimacy than those who were abused. The opposite trend was observed in women: women, who were physically abused, have more fear of intimacy than those who were not. In general, men manifested more fear of intimacy then women (regardless of physical abuse). The results also indicated that the abused express larger fear of intimacy than those who were not abused, but the difference is not statistically significant. The greatest fear of intimacy is demonstrated by divorced participants, followed by married participants, then those who are dating but do not live together. The least fear of intimacy is demonstrated by cohabitants