Social Construction of the Abuse Experience: Traumatic Bonding or Co-Dependency? Meredith Barone, B.S., ICADC, MATS and Liane Leedom, M.D. Department of Counseling University of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, CT Introduction Purpose Results Continued In the consultation room, counselors and The purpose of the present study was to explore the There was one empirical study of traumatic clients work together in a collaborative social construction of medical knowledge with bonding in victims of domestic violence. In manner to understand the client’s thoughts, respect to abusive relationships and co-dependence. this study, strong bonding was associated feelings and experience. The client is an We determined how therapists and researchers: with power imbalance and intermittent abuse expert in his or her experience and the (Dutton and Painter, 1993). counselor has expertise in human behavior and 1. Define co-dependence the human condition generally. Together, the 2. Make attributions regarding the cause of co- client and therapist socially construct dependence Two studies linked scores on co-dependence meanings that enable the client to attain well- inventories to familial abuse experiences being and personal growth. Client healing and We then compared the co-dependence construct to (Carson and Baker, 1994; Reyome et.al, growth is thus somewhat dependent on the other diagnostic constructs and traumatic bonding. 2010). counselor’s understanding of the human condition and psychological disorders, as this We ultimately hope to create educational understanding plays a role in socially interventions for therapists that might prevent Idaho Co-Dependency constructed meaning. victim blaming and the distress that accompanies that invalidation. Scale What do counselors understand about why There was also one prototype rating scale. The victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) Idaho Co-Dependency Scale (Harkness, 2001) is a become entrapped in abusive relationships? Hypothesis prototype scale where the clinical vignettes illustrate a continuum of severity that indicates a In a preliminary study, Leedom and colleagues Our hypothesis is that abuse in intimate and family score of 100 correlates with a strong bond to a (2016) surveyed 598 victims of IPV who had relationships is associated with a bond actually highly intermittently abusive person resulting participated in individual and/or couple strengthened by the abuse. Therapists, who are feelings of loss of power. therapy with their abuser. Victims discussed unaware of attachment and traumatic bonding, aspects of therapy that were helpful, unhelpful attribute client symptoms to a personality disorder Client is a 28 year old female married to a man and blaming, in narrative accounts of therapy (co-dependence) as opposed to the situation (the interactions. A substantial minority (20%) of who beats her regularly. She has children by a traumatic bond). The definition of co-dependence victims complained that therapists blamed previous relationship that have been taken away by as described in the literature will reflect the effects them for the abusive relationship by: the welfare department. This woman has virtually of traumatic bonding, no identity of her own. She attaches herself to a 1. Stating that the tendency to want to be in man and sticks by him no matter what She will the abusive relationship was part of the lie for him and refuses to file charges even when victims’ personality (victims were labeled Methods seriously harmed. She even prioritizes him over with the term co-dependence). her own children. She only expresses fear in crises An exhaustive search of Psych Info was but her emotion is flat at other times. She 2. Stating that the victim “chose” to enter or undertaken using the terms co-dependency, co- changes her emotions and behavior and thoughts to remain in the relationship, in spite of the dependent and “trauma bond”. Measures of accommodate her man. abuse. these constructs were obtained and the items Examples of therapist responses are given contained in the measures of co-dependency below. were examined for themes relating to Discussion attachment, bonding and trauma related The actor observer phenomenon is the disorders. “pervasive tendency for actors to attribute Examples of Therapist their actions to situational requirements, whereas observers tend to attribute the same Invalidating Responses Results • “Pointing out all the red flags, which I myself actions to stable personal dispositions” had already identified, and asking why I didn't The literature search revealed 59 empirical studies of the (Morrow and Deidan, 1992). For the leave at the point of recognizing red flags, she co-dependency construct. These included 7 published counselor and client, this phenomenon means blamed my co-dependency. Not helpful.” quantitative rating scales for the construct: that the counselor blames the client and the • “She suggested I attend 12 step meetings for client blames the situation. Given the themes Love Addiction, and/or related groups. I 1. Diagnostic Criteria for Co-Dependent Personality found throughout the co-dependency rating followed her suggestions. She suggested I Disorder (Cermak, 1986). scales, there appears to be a relationship may be a codependent or a love addict. I felt I 2. Spann Fischer Codependency Scale (Fischer, 2009). between codependency and traumatic had an attachment disorder, but that was my 3. Holyoake Codependency Index (Dear and Roberts, idea. She didn't clarify for me how I might bonding. Co-Dependency is a social 2004). improve my issues surrounding construction that describes a traumatic bond. healthy/unhealthy attachment.” 4. Codependent Questionnaire (Roehling and Gaumond, 1996). • “Based on my childhood, she said I was co- When the concept of co-dependency was first dependent and I took that as a statement that I 5. Codependence Checklist (Engs and Anderson, 1987). developed by participants in Alcoholics was also to blame for my abuse.” 6. Adult Children of Alcoholics Instrument (La Marr Anonymous, the power of abuse/trauma to et.al, 1998). • “I was told I was co-dependent and told to strengthen family bonds was not recognized. ignore what had been done to me and focus on Interestingly, the co-dependency scales my own co-dependent contribution to my An examination of the quantitative rating scales revealed contain items diagnostic of PTSD. The situation.” the following themes: highest scoring “co-dependence” prototype is • When I discussed the abusive behavior of my -Loss of power and subordination a victim of domestic violence who suffers now ex-husband. I mentioned that his 3rd wife -Caregiving responses -Hyper-focus on others needs from PTSD symptoms. Of course, further would most likely suffer the same abuse. The research on this subject is needed to identify therapist said to me "Don't you think he could -Pleasing others be different with a different person?" I said -Doing things for others interventions for the therapist who works "Because I deserved to be abused and she does -Neglect of self with the client who suffers from PTSD or not?" -Symptoms of PTSD traumatic bonding..