The connection between childhood trauma, attachment styles and intimacy

In many countries around the world, children are exposed to many stressful experiences such as neglect, maltreatment, emotional or sexual abuse. The long-lasting effects of such experiences are psychological impairments that can become chronic into adulthood. In addition, people who have experienced trauma often have difficulties with intimacy. Since intimacy is an important basic human need, it is very important to investigate factors that have a negative impact on the experience of intimacy. Furthermore, the quality of the bond between mother and child in childhood plays an important role in the experience of intimacy in adulthood. A secure attachment in early childhood can protect against the development of psychopathology later in life, even if traumatic experiences have been encountered during the course of life. Further research should thoroughly investigate the interaction between childhood trauma, attachment styles and intimacy. This will enable us to better understand the difficulties that individuals with stressful childhood experiences experience in relation to intimacy.