Spiraling down: Fearful attachment style moderates the link between parental burnout and violence

Objective

The aim of the current preregistered cross-sectional study was to examine whether in parents with high anxious (characterized with a negative model of self), dismissing (characterized with a negative model of others), and fearful attachment styles (characterized with a negative model of self and of others), the link between parental burnout and violence toward the offspring is stronger.

Background

Past research has shown that parental burnout exacerbates violence toward the offspring, but the correlation is not perfect (r = .49), which suggests that not all parents in burnout out are violent, and that moderators might therefore be at play.

Method

Participants (N = 794) answered an online questionnaires one time, through Prolific. Parental burnout, violence, and attachment styles were measured through the Parental Burnout Assessment, the Parental Violence Scale, and the Relationship Questionnaire. Multiple regression analyses were performed to test the moderating role of anxious, dismissing, and fearful attachment styles.

Results

Parental burnout and all attachment styles are significantly related to violence. However, only fearful attachment style significantly potentiated the relation between parental burnout and violence.

Conclusion

In parents with high fearful attachment style, the link between parental burnout and violence toward the offspring is stronger. Results are discussed in light of the role of internal models of self and others.

Implications

Anxious, dismissing, and fearful attachment styles should systematically be investigated when dealing with burnt out parents, as some may be associated with a higher risk of violence toward the offspring.