Adult Attachment Patterns and Courtship Violence

This article explores the possible relationships between adult attachment and violence among intimates. An attempt is made to understand the apparent contradiction between intimacy and violence by the heuristic use of adults' attachment patterns. Two insecure attachment patterns are described (Avoidant and Anxious/ambivalent). Each of them is related to specific manifestations of courtship violence in a specific dyadic interaction. These concepts contribute to an understanding of courtship violence as an exaggerated form of a behavior (anger and protest) which in the right time and place is functional in the regulation of intimacy. The descriptions of the specific patterns may aid in tailoring interventions to suit the different underlying problems of individuals involved in courtship violence.