Abused and neglected children: locus of control and attachment

Journal title MALTRATTAMENTO E ABUSO ALL’INFANZIA
Author/s Grazia Attili, Lorenza Di Pentima, Alessandro Toni
Publishing Year 2013 Issue 2013/3
Language Italian Pages 20 P. 89-108 File size 755 KB
DOI 10.3280/MAL2013-003005
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Up until now results concerning attachment internal models (IWM) and locus of control in maltreatment are inconclusive. This research involved 60 abused and neglected children and 100 controls with the purpose of evaluating the associations between their attachment and locus of control. IWM were assessed by the Attili’s modified version (2001b) of SAT (Klagsbrun & Bowlby, 1976) and locus of control by the Nowicki- Strickland Scale (1973). Results highlight mainly disorganized and avoidant IWM in abused children and 40% of secure IWM in neglected subjects. Locus of control is external both in insecure abused children and in secure neglected ones. Data confirm that maltreatment leads to insecure IWM and external locus of control. Nevertheless when neglect does not associate with threats by parents secure IWM can emerge in spite of an external locus.

Keywords: Maltreatment, neglect, attachment, locus of control.

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