June 16, 2023
Dr. Andrew Garcia successfully defended his dissertation titled “Self-Verification as a Potential Explanatory Mechanism Between Childhood Emotional Abuse and Interpersonal Violence in Young Adult Romantic Relationships”. Using data from the Kaplan Longitudinal & Multigenerational Survey (KLAMS), Dr. Garcia developed a robust measure of Childhood Emotional Abuse (CEA), encompassing multiple dimensions of emotionally abusive behavior. He conducted binomial logistic regression models to test the relationship between CEA and relationship violence in young adulthood. Mediation analysis with structural equation modeling (SEM) then tested whether CEA survivors might remain in abusive romantic relationships as a way to verify feelings of self-derogation (low self-worth).
The results showed that CEA significantly predicted future emotional victimization in future romantic relationships for both males and females. However, self-derogating attitudes did not mediate this relationship, suggesting that other theoretical mechanisms may be in play. The results of this study serve as impetus for more work on emotional abuse as a distinct form of trauma, including its potential effect on identity formation. In addition, it provides significant evidence to suggest that the cycle of victimization is as worthy of attention as cycles of violence. Finally, it provides a roadmap for future work in this area, including intersectional and parent-specific approaches.
Congratulations, Dr. Andrew Garcia! This dissertation was chaired by Dr. Heili Pals, with Dr. Jane Sell, Dr. Mary Campbell, and Dr. Rebecca Schlegel as committee members.