The predictive role of psychological abuse and emotional regulation in emotional dependency

Emotional dependency is defined as a need for affection and continuous and excessive contact with the partner. The aim of this study was to analyze the relation between emotional dependency, emotion regulation, and psychological abuse in couple relationships, as well as to analyze differences in these variables regarding gender. The sample comprised 303 participants (232 women and 71 men) aged between 18 and 75 years old (M= 25.93, SD= 8.66). Results showed that women had greater emotion regulation difficulties than men, whereas there were no significant differences amongst men and women in psychological abuse and emotional dependency. Psychological abuse, emotion regulation and emotional dependency were found to correlate. Psychological abuse and difficulties in emotion regulation were predictors of emotional dependency. These results may provide new keys to the incorporation of emotion regulation and emotional dependency in prevention and intervention in psychological abuse.