The attachment theory has commonly been used to examine intimate partner psychological aggression (IPPA), but few studies have examined its association with self-reported justifications for one’s own use of IPPA. Behaviors, including the use of IPPA, are influenced, maintained, and function within the context of their justifications, highlighting the importance of investigating these justifications to obtain a clearer picture of IPPA. This study examined whether insecure romantic attachment (i.e., attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance) in both partners of a couple was associated with their justifications for their own use of IPPA. A community sample of 81 mixed-sex couples who reported using IPPA in the last year completed self-reported questionnaires on adult romantic attachment and their justifications for their use of IPPA. Results of a path analysis based on the actor-partner interdependence model revealed moderate positive associations between attachment anxiety and one’s use of internal and external justifications for their IPPA perpetration in men and women. An unexpected dyadic positive association is discussed. These results suggest that the use of justifications for one’s use of IPPA may reflect a strategy of hyperactivation that could contribute to the cycle of psychological aggression. Uncovering the function of these justifications could provide important therapeutic benefits, which are discussed in the study’s implications.

依恋理论通常用于检查亲密伴侣的心理攻击 (IPPA)，但很少有研究检查其与自我报告的自己使用 IPPA 的理由之间的关联。行为，包括 IPPA 的使用，在其正当理由的背景下受到影响、维持和运作，强调了调查这些正当理由以获得更清晰的 IPPA 图片的重要性。本研究调查了夫妻双方的不安全浪漫依恋（即依恋焦虑和依恋回避）是否与他们自己使用 IPPA 的理由有关。去年报告使用 IPPA 的 81 对混合性别夫妇的社区样本完成了关于成人浪漫依恋及其使用 IPPA 的理由的自我报告问卷。基于演员-伴侣相互依赖模型的路径分析结果显示，男性和女性的依恋焦虑与使用内部和外部理由来实施 IPPA 之间存在适度的正相关关系。讨论了意想不到的二元正关联。这些结果表明，使用 IPPA 的理由可能反映了一种过度激活的策略，这种策略可能会导致心理攻击的循环。揭示这些理由的功能可以提供重要的治疗益处，这在研究的意义中进行了讨论。讨论了意想不到的二元正关联。这些结果表明，使用 IPPA 的理由可能反映了一种过度激活的策略，这种策略可能会导致心理攻击的循环。揭示这些理由的功能可以提供重要的治疗益处，这在研究的意义中进行了讨论。讨论了意想不到的二元正关联。这些结果表明，使用 IPPA 的理由可能反映了一种过度激活的策略，这种策略可能会导致心理攻击的循环。揭示这些理由的功能可以提供重要的治疗益处，这在研究的意义中进行了讨论。