Childhood Emotional Maltreatment and Later Intimate Relationships: Themes from the Empirical Literature

Within the last three decades, researchers have begun to investigate the long-term consequences of childhood emotional maltreatment on interpersonal and intrapersonal functioning. These investigations have led to the realization that survivors of childhood emotional maltreatment suffer from myriad psychological and social difficulties. These difficulties influence the quality and nature of intimate relationships formed by emotional abuse survivors. The empirical literature looking at the effect of childhood emotional maltreatment on intimate relationships is summarized and discussed. Implications of the current body of research for future research and clinical practice are addressed.