Need for closure is linked with traumatic bonding among victims of intimate partner violence: A mediation approach

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an increasingly prevalent problem in most parts of the world, including Nigeria. Very little is known about why persons who experience IPV sometimes decide to remain in the abusive relationships. In this study, we investigate whether the need for closure (NFC) may play significant roles in the association of IPV and the decision to stay in abusive relationships (traumatic bonding). Specifically, we tested if NFC would mediate the relationship between IPV and traumatic bonding (TB) among victims of IPV in Nigeria. Participants were 345 women, purposively selected from female clients who visited the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SART) in Awka, Anambra State ( n = 145) and the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, Lagos ( n = 200). Their age ranged from 18–61 years (M = 35.79; SD = 8.6 years). They responded to the Composite Abuse Scale, the Need for Closure Scale, and the Stockholm Syndrome Scale. Results of data analysis using the Hayes regression-based PROCESS macro showed that IPV was not significantly associated with traumatic bonding while NFC was positively associated with increased traumatic bonding. Estimates of indirect effects indicated that NFC mediated the relationship of IPV and TB serving as a pathway through which IPV was linked to dimensions of TB. This shows that NFC may engender tendencies that increase the likelihood of traumatic bonding. The implications of these findings were discussed across policy, research and psychotherapeutic practice.