Traumatic bonding

Trauma bonds (also referred to as traumatic bonds) are emotional bonds that arise from a cyclical pattern of abuse. A trauma bond occurs in an abusive relationship, wherein the victim forms an emotional bond with the perpetrator.^[1] The concept was developed by psychologists Donald Dutton and Susan Painter.^[2]^[3]^[4]

The two main factors that contribute to the establishment of a trauma bond are a power imbalance and intermittent reward and punishment.^[2]^[1]^[5] Trauma bonding can occur within romantic relationships, platonic friendships, parent-child relationships, incestuous relationships, cults, hostage situations, sex trafficking (especially that of minors), or tours of duty among military personnel.^[2]^[6]

Trauma bonds are based on terror, dominance, and unpredictability. As the trauma bond between an abuser and a victim strengthens, it can lead to cyclical patterns of conflicting emotions. Frequently, victims in trauma bonds do not have agency, autonomy, or an individual sense of self. Their self-image is an internalization of the abuser's conceptualization of them.^[7]

Trauma bonds have severe detrimental effects on the victim. Some long-term impacts of trauma bonding include remaining in abusive relationships, adverse mental health outcomes like low self-esteem, negative self-image, an increased likelihood of depression and bipolar disorder, and perpetuating a generational cycle of abuse.^[1]^[5]^[8]^[9] Victims who develop trauma bonds are often unable or unwilling to leave these relationships. Many abuse victims who experience trauma bonding return to the abusive relationship.^[10]^[11]

^ ^a ^b ^c Sanchez RV, Speck PM, Patrician PA (2019). "A Concept Analysis of Trauma Coercive Bonding in the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children". Journal of Pediatric Nursing. 46. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier: 48–54. doi:10.1016/j.pedn.2019.02.030. PMID 30852255. S2CID 73726267.
^ ^a ^b ^c Dutton, Donald G.; Painter, Susan (1993). "Emotional attachments in abusive relationships: a test of traumatic bonding theory". Violence and Victims. 8 (2): 105–20. doi:10.1891/0886-6708.8.2.105. PMID 8193053. S2CID 1724577.
^ Dutton, Donald G.; Painter, Susan (January 1981). "Traumatic Bonding: The development of emotional attachments in battered women and other relationships of intermittent abuse". Victimology (7). Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publishing.
^ Sanderson, Chrissie (2008). Counselling Survivors of Domestic Abuse. London, England: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. p. 84. ISBN 978-1-84642-811-1.
^ ^a ^b Lin-Roark, Isabella H.; Church, A. Timothy; McCubbin, Laurie D. (January 14, 2015). "Battered Women's Evaluations of Their Intimate Partners as a Possible Mediator Between Abuse and Self-Esteem". Journal of Family Violence. 30 (2). Heidelberg, Germany: Springer Science+Business Media: 201–214. doi:10.1007/s10896-014-9661-y. S2CID 11957089.
^ George V (2015). Traumatic Bonding and Intimate Partner Violence (Master thesis). Victoria University of Wellington. hdl:10063/4398. Archived from the original on 2020-12-12. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
^ Schwartz J (2015). "The Unacknowledged History of John Bowlby's Attachment Theory: John Bowlby's Attachment Theory". British Journal of Psychotherapy. 31 (2): 251–266. doi:10.1111/bjp.12149.
^ Dekel B, Abrahams N, Andipatin M (2018-05-23). van Wouwe JP (ed.). "Exploring adverse parent-child relationships from the perspective of convicted child murderers: A South African qualitative study". PLOS ONE. 13 (5): e0196772. Bibcode:2018PLoSO..1396772D. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0196772. PMC 5965825. PMID 29791451.
^ Marshall M, Shannon C, Meenagh C, Mc Corry N, Mulholland C (March 2018). "The association between childhood trauma, parental bonding and depressive symptoms and interpersonal functioning in depression and bipolar disorder". Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine. 35 (1): 23–32. doi:10.1017/ipm.2016.43. PMID 30115203. S2CID 52017653.
^ Enander V (January 2010). ""A fool to keep staying": battered women labeling themselves stupid as an expression of gendered shame". Violence Against Women. 16 (1): 5–31. doi:10.1177/1077801209353577. PMID 19949227. S2CID 23512617.
^ Hendy HM, Eggen D, Gustitus C, McLeod KC, Ng P (2003-06-01). "Decision to Leave Scale: Perceived Reasons to Stay in or Leave Violent Relationships". Psychology of Women Quarterly. 27 (2): 162–173. doi:10.1111/1471-6402.00096. ISSN 0361-6843. S2CID 144208768.

[:1-1] Sanchez RV, Speck PM, Patrician PA (2019). "A Concept Analysis of Trauma Coercive Bonding in the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children". Journal of Pediatric Nursing. 46. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier: 48–54. doi:10.1016/j.pedn.2019.02.030. PMID 30852255. S2CID 73726267.

[:0-2] Dutton, Donald G.; Painter, Susan (1993). "Emotional attachments in abusive relationships: a test of traumatic bonding theory". Violence and Victims. 8 (2): 105–20. doi:10.1891/0886-6708.8.2.105. PMID 8193053. S2CID 1724577.

[3] Dutton, Donald G.; Painter, Susan (January 1981). "Traumatic Bonding: The development of emotional attachments in battered women and other relationships of intermittent abuse". Victimology (7). Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publishing.

[Sanderson2008-4] Sanderson, Chrissie (2008). Counselling Survivors of Domestic Abuse. London, England: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. p. 84. ISBN 978-1-84642-811-1.

[:2-5] Lin-Roark, Isabella H.; Church, A. Timothy; McCubbin, Laurie D. (January 14, 2015). "Battered Women's Evaluations of Their Intimate Partners as a Possible Mediator Between Abuse and Self-Esteem". Journal of Family Violence. 30 (2). Heidelberg, Germany: Springer Science+Business Media: 201–214. doi:10.1007/s10896-014-9661-y. S2CID 11957089.

[George_2015-6] George V (2015). Traumatic Bonding and Intimate Partner Violence (Master thesis). Victoria University of Wellington. hdl:10063/4398. Archived from the original on 2020-12-12. Retrieved 2021-04-21.

[7] Schwartz J (2015). "The Unacknowledged History of John Bowlby's Attachment Theory: John Bowlby's Attachment Theory". British Journal of Psychotherapy. 31 (2): 251–266. doi:10.1111/bjp.12149.

[:4-8] Dekel B, Abrahams N, Andipatin M (2018-05-23). van Wouwe JP (ed.). "Exploring adverse parent-child relationships from the perspective of convicted child murderers: A South African qualitative study". PLOS ONE. 13 (5): e0196772. Bibcode:2018PLoSO..1396772D. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0196772. PMC 5965825. PMID 29791451.

[:5-9] Marshall M, Shannon C, Meenagh C, Mc Corry N, Mulholland C (March 2018). "The association between childhood trauma, parental bonding and depressive symptoms and interpersonal functioning in depression and bipolar disorder". Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine. 35 (1): 23–32. doi:10.1017/ipm.2016.43. PMID 30115203. S2CID 52017653.

[:6-10] Enander V (January 2010). ""A fool to keep staying": battered women labeling themselves stupid as an expression of gendered shame". Violence Against Women. 16 (1): 5–31. doi:10.1177/1077801209353577. PMID 19949227. S2CID 23512617.

[:7-11] Hendy HM, Eggen D, Gustitus C, McLeod KC, Ng P (2003-06-01). "Decision to Leave Scale: Perceived Reasons to Stay in or Leave Violent Relationships". Psychology of Women Quarterly. 27 (2): 162–173. doi:10.1111/1471-6402.00096. ISSN 0361-6843. S2CID 144208768.

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