Poster #51 - Adverse Childhood Experiences as a Predictor of Love Language Preferences

• In Event: Poster Session 08

Abstract

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with many long-term difficulties (i.e., emotion dysregulation, disrupted attachment orientations), which may themselves be predictive of difficulties in future relationships (Kerns & Stevens, 1995; Kim & Cicchetti, 2010). While research has investigated negative outcomes of childhood trauma, less is known about its impact on adult expressions of love languages. Love languages are the ways which adults prefer to receive love (e.g., quality time, physical touch; Davis, 2020). This study thus aims to investigate associations between childhood abuse/neglect and love language prominence in adult romantic relationships, as well as the moderating role of parent-teen relationship quality during adolescence. It was hypothesized that the absence of specific relational qualities due to abuse/neglect early in life would predict greater valuing/expressions of those qualities in young adulthood, such that: 1) childhood neglect would predict preferences of quality time, physical touch, and words of affirmation in adult romantic relationships. However, 2) physical or emotional abuse was thought to predict an aversion toward physical touch in adult romantic relationships. Lastly, it was hypothesized that, 3) a more positive parent-child relationship quality during adolescence would strengthen positive and weaken negative associations between these constructs.

Data were obtained from a larger longitudinal study of 184 adolescents (86 males, 98 females). The sample was diverse with respect to participant race/ethnicity (107 Caucasian, 53 African American, 24 mixed/ “other” ethnicity), and socioeconomic status (median = $43,618). At age 18, participant reports on retrospective (birth to 18) Adverse Childhood Experiences and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire were utilized. At age 19, parent-child relationships were assessed via self-report for qualities of affection and acceptance. Love language proxies at age 27 were assessed using participant and romantic partner reports on the Network of Relationship Inventory (companionship/quality time), Relationship Experiences Questionnaire (admiration/words of affirmation), and Behavioral Systems Questionnaire (physical touch).

Contrary to hypothesis 1, ACEs negatively correlated with love language preferences of words of affirmation (r = -.24, p < .05) and quality time (r =-.22, p <.01) in later romantic relationships. Emotional neglect was negatively correlated with admiration (r =-.29, p <.05). Emotional neglect and dad verbal abuse were also correlated negatively with quality time (r =-.30, p <.01; r =-.19, p <.05, respectively); mom verbal abuse positively correlated with the love language of quality time (r =.18, p <.05). Regarding hypothesis 2, mom physical abuse was positively correlated with an indicator of aversion to the love language of physical touch (r = -.21, p <.01). Regarding hypothesis 3, indicators of dad-teen relationship quality were moderators in regression equations of the relationship between emotional abuse and romantic love language. When emotional abuse was high, the relationship between love language of quality time and dad affection was positive (β = .33, p = .02). Emotional abuse predicted a greater preference for physical touch when dad acceptance was high, indicating an increased need for reassurance resulting from emotional abuse. Parent relationship quality as an intervention, mollifying the consequences of ACEs on adult romantic relationships, will be discussed.

Authors

• Saleena Wilson, James Madison University
  Presenting Author

• Molly Hilts

• David E. Szwedo, James Madison University

• Joseph P Allen, University of Virginia - Charlottesville