Taxonomy and hierarchy of strategies of psychological abuse in intimate partner relationships

Authors

  • Alvaro Rodríguez-Carballeira Universitat de Barcelona
  • Clara Porrúa-García Universitat de Barcelona
  • Jordi Escartín Universitat de Barcelona
  • Javier Martín-Peña Universidad de Zaragoza
  • Carmen Almendros Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6018/analesps.30.3.154001
Keywords: psychological abuse, intimate partner violence, Delphi method, taxonomy, severity.

Supporting Agencies

  • This study was partially supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (PSI 2010/16098) and the Institut Català de les Dones (U-103/10).

Abstract

This study focuses on the analysis from of a psychosocial perspective of the components of psychological abuse in intimate partner relationships. Following a review of studies on the subject, the main objective that emerged was the need for a new taxonomy of strategies of psychological abuse accompanied by the corresponding operational definitions. After the proposal of this new classification, a second objective emerged that consisted of submitting it for evaluation by a group of experts through a Delphi study, in which thirty-two experts from the academic and professional worlds participated. These experts were asked to assess the suitability of the system categories, and to grade quantitatively the severity of the impact made by each of the strategies on the global phenomenon of psychological abuse in couples. The results show that the experts ratified the new classification of strategies and their operational definitions, thus endorsing their content and construct validity. In addition, they classified the strategies based on their degree of severity; those of an emotional nature were considered the severest, followed by those related to the immediate context, with those of a cognitive type in third place, and lastly, the behavioural ones. Finally, we discuss the results, and their implications.

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Author Biographies

Alvaro Rodríguez-Carballeira, Universitat de Barcelona

Departamento de Psicología social

Clara Porrúa-García, Universitat de Barcelona

Departamento de Psicología Social

Jordi Escartín, Universitat de Barcelona

Departamento de Psicología Social

Javier Martín-Peña, Universidad de Zaragoza

Departamento de Psicología Social

Carmen Almendros, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid

Departamento de Psicología Biológica y de la Salud.
Published
08-08-2014
How to Cite
Rodríguez-Carballeira, A., Porrúa-García, C., Escartín, J., Martín-Peña, J., & Almendros, C. (2014). Taxonomy and hierarchy of strategies of psychological abuse in intimate partner relationships. Anales de Psicología / Annals of Psychology, 30(3), 916–926. https://doi.org/10.6018/analesps.30.3.154001
Issue
Section
Clinical and Health Psychology