Coercive Control Among University Students in Lebanon: Examining the Roles of Attachment Anxiety, Sexism, and Adverse Childhood Beliefs

Abstract

Coercive control (CC) is an abusive relationship dynamic whereby an individual seeks to degrade and debase a romantic partner in a systematic or patterned way. Although intimate partner violence (IPV) researchers consider CC as a defining feature of IPV, research has yet to address the predictive factors of CC, the presence of CC in early romantic relationships, and the relevance of CC as a construct for populations in the Middle East. The current study aimed to address these gaps by studying predictive factors of CC among dating, university students in Lebanon. It was hypothesized that male students would perpetrate more CC than female students and that attachment anxiety, hostile and benevolent sexism, and prior exposure to violence will be significant predictors of CC in heterosexual relationships. Attachment anxiety and prior exposure to violence were explored as predictors of CC in relationships among sexual and gender minority (LGBT) participants. Participants frequently reported using communication technologies to perpetrate coercive-controlling behaviors. Contrary to predictions, females perpetrated higher levels of coercive-controlling behaviors compared to males. In line with predictions, hostile sexism and attachment anxiety predicted coercive controlling behaviors. For LGBT participants, attachment anxiety predicted coercive-controlling behaviors. Future studies should continue to address predictors of CC, differences in CC perpetration between heterosexual and LGBT individuals, and the development of culturally appropriate CC assessments.