Study: How Childhood Abuse Impacts Adult Interactions

New York University psychologists have shown that adults may have difficulties meeting someone who reminds them of a parent who emotionally or physically abused them as children.

In the study, published in the November issue of Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, female undergraduates both with and without a history of abuse met a stranger with characteristics similar to their own parent. Both groups reacted to the person with positive facial expressions suggesting emotional transference of feelings of love. However, for the abusees, these were accompanied by negative reactions such as "rejection expectancy, mistrust, dislike, and emotional indifference." Neither effect was observed however when the stranger did not resemble subjects' parents, however.

Participants from the abused group also reported feelings of unease that actually decreased when they were told the person was threatening to them. Researchers believe this may indicate a learned response to threatening situations.

Related: Study: Child Abuse Alters Brain Chemistry

ABSTRACT: Childhood Physical and Emotional Abuse by a Parent: Transference Effects in Adult Interpersonal Relations