Abstract
Aggressive behavior in girls and women typically occurs within the con- text of close interpersonal relationships. The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of research on the relationship between attachment and aggression and to discuss the function that aggressive behavior may play in close relationships. Clearly, not all aggressive and violent behavior can be explained in terms of attachment. We argue, however, that many aggressive acts in intimate relationships can be understood from this perspective. Furthermore, we propose that identifying the attachment function of aggressive behavior can help to delineate meaningful subgroups of individuals who differ in the function that their aggressive behavior serves, the targets of their aggressive acts, and in their therapeutic needs.
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Moretti, M.M., Dasilva, K., Holland, R. (2004). Aggression from an Attachment Perspective. In: Moretti, M.M., Odgers, C.L., Jackson, M.A. (eds) Girls and Aggression. Perspectives in Law & Psychology, vol 19. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-8985-7_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-8985-7_4
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