Abstract
This research explores the attachment profiles of 8 young men aged under 18 who had engaged in harmful sexual behaviour (HSB), and 4 of their parents. It also explores the young men’s lived experience, what sense they made of it and how they positioned themselves towards later events, including HSB, so they can maintain their self-integrity.
The Dynamic Maturation Model of Attachment has been utilised in this research (Crittenden, 2006 and 2011).Transition to Adulthood Attachment Interview and semi - structured interview were conducted with young people. Adult Attachment Interview was conducted with parents.
TAAI and AAI used the discourse markers developed for analysis developed for AAI by George et al., (1985) and adopted to the DMM (Crittenden & Landini, 2011). Critical Discourse Analysis was employed to analyse the semi structured interviews (van Dijk, et al. 1993).
Findings:
All young men presented with complex insecure attachment strategies. They showed significant indicators of unresolved trauma and loss. Most common
were dismissed trauma forms but some presented with markers for both pre-occupied and dismissed types. The young men described a lack of positive attachment responses and comfort from their attachment figures. This appeared to be associated with failure to develop functional strategies for self-soothing
and emotional regulation, and poor integration of attachment and sexual systems.
The parents in this sample presented with complex avoidant attachment strategies. They showed intrusions of unresolved trauma or loss including intergenerational themes of domestic violence, sexual violence, physical and sexual abuse or neglect. Findings indicated the parents had not been able to resolve these experiences. Consequently, they lacked a strategy for protecting themselves from further harm in their lives, such as violence or emotional distress, nor were they well equipped to offer emotional guidance or support to their children.
Discursive themes
The young men employed a range of discourses to construct their childhood experience:
• Life is hard - violence is acceptable/normal and is an
integral part of life;
• Powerlessness manifested in an inability to affect
change;
• Normalising abuse and acceptance of victimisation
but denial of an impact and getting on with life;
• Power to disrupt and get self into trouble conveys an
experience of being empowered;
• Power discourses encompassing entitlement,
male superiority, toughness, bravado and denial of
vulnerability, and;
• An acceptance that ‘truth’ was fragile and slippery,
that people could not be trusted and ‘truth’ is
negotiable.
The Dynamic Maturation Model of Attachment has been utilised in this research (Crittenden, 2006 and 2011).Transition to Adulthood Attachment Interview and semi - structured interview were conducted with young people. Adult Attachment Interview was conducted with parents.
TAAI and AAI used the discourse markers developed for analysis developed for AAI by George et al., (1985) and adopted to the DMM (Crittenden & Landini, 2011). Critical Discourse Analysis was employed to analyse the semi structured interviews (van Dijk, et al. 1993).
Findings:
All young men presented with complex insecure attachment strategies. They showed significant indicators of unresolved trauma and loss. Most common
were dismissed trauma forms but some presented with markers for both pre-occupied and dismissed types. The young men described a lack of positive attachment responses and comfort from their attachment figures. This appeared to be associated with failure to develop functional strategies for self-soothing
and emotional regulation, and poor integration of attachment and sexual systems.
The parents in this sample presented with complex avoidant attachment strategies. They showed intrusions of unresolved trauma or loss including intergenerational themes of domestic violence, sexual violence, physical and sexual abuse or neglect. Findings indicated the parents had not been able to resolve these experiences. Consequently, they lacked a strategy for protecting themselves from further harm in their lives, such as violence or emotional distress, nor were they well equipped to offer emotional guidance or support to their children.
Discursive themes
The young men employed a range of discourses to construct their childhood experience:
• Life is hard - violence is acceptable/normal and is an
integral part of life;
• Powerlessness manifested in an inability to affect
change;
• Normalising abuse and acceptance of victimisation
but denial of an impact and getting on with life;
• Power to disrupt and get self into trouble conveys an
experience of being empowered;
• Power discourses encompassing entitlement,
male superiority, toughness, bravado and denial of
vulnerability, and;
• An acceptance that ‘truth’ was fragile and slippery,
that people could not be trusted and ‘truth’ is
negotiable.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publication status | Published - 5 May 2022 |