Childhood Psychological Abuse Predicts Lower Adult Romantic Satisfaction Through Belongingness

A longitudinal study in *Personality and Individual Differences* examined how childhood psychological abuse affects adult romantic relationship satisfaction. Researchers surveyed 346 Turkish university students in February and May 2025 using self-report measures of parental abuse, belongingness, and relationship satisfaction.

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Prior work has focused on physical and sexual abuse, often overlooking emotional mistreatment. This research draws on attachment theory (Bowlby) and Klein’s object-relations framework, proposing that early emotional abuse disrupts a sense of belonging, shaping later romantic bonds.

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The study was led by Yakup Ime, associate professor of counseling psychology at Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Türkiye.

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The sample comprised 213 women and 133 men, ages 20-36 (mean ? 25). Participants completed a 12-item parental-abuse scale (four-point), a 7-item relationship-satisfaction scale (seven-point), and a 12-item belongingness questionnaire (four-point). Data were collected in February 2025 and again in May 2025, three months apart.

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Higher reported childhood psychological abuse correlated with lower adult relationship satisfaction. Mediation analysis showed that reduced belongingness explained a substantial part of this link, confirming the hypothesized pathway from early emotional mistreatment to later relational unhappiness.

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The findings suggest that interventions enhancing belongingness—such as fostering trust and social acceptance—could mitigate the long-term relational damage of early emotional abuse.

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Ime noted that the results align with established theory and underscore the lasting impact of early emotional environments on adult intimacy. He urged parents to provide loving, safe, supportive contexts for children.

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Ime plans to extend the research using observational and partner-reported data, examine protective factors such as resilience and social support, and test interventions aimed at strengthening belongingness among adults with histories of psychological abuse.

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The authors cited self-report bias, the brief three-month interval, and the exclusive Turkish university sample as constraints that limit generalizability.

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No contradictory findings appear in the source material, but gaps remain regarding how the mechanisms operate across diverse ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, and non-student populations.

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• “My interest in this topic was shaped by the idea that early parent-child relationships can leave enduring imprints on how individuals experience closeness and satisfaction in their adult romantic lives,” — Yakup Ime, associate professor

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• “The results did not surprise me; the findings appear consistent with the existing theoretical framework and literature,” — Yakup Ime

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• “This study shows that psychological abuse experienced during childhood can lead individuals to feel less happy and fulfilled in their future romantic relationships,” — Yakup Ime

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• “One important limitation is that the data were collected longitudinally through participants’ self-report questionnaires, which may introduce bias,” — Yakup Ime

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