PII S0145-2134(99)00083-6 THE MINIMIZING STYLE: PERCEPTIONS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL ABUSE AND QUALITY OF PAST AND CURRENT RELATIONSHIPS RACHNA VARIA University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA RICHARD R. ABIDIN University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA ABSTRACT Objective: The goals of this current project were to expand and elaborate on the results of Varia, Abidin, and Dass’ (1996) study to better understand what historical parenting factors may contribute in creating a “Minimizing” perception of childhood psychological abuse. A second objective included examining the association between perceptual styles and adult ratings of adult relationship satisfaction. Method: Ninety individuals from a non-clinical adult sample completed self-report questionnaires regarding psychological maltreatment and adult relationship satisfaction. Three groups were created and compared using analysis of variance. The groups were (I) “Non-Abused,” consistent reporters of no abuse; (II) “Acknowledgers,” consistent reporters of abuse; and (III) “Minimizers,” reporters of abuse, but do not label themselves as having been abused. Results: Results indicated a continuum effect with the Non-Abused individuals reporting the highest level of maternal warmth and affection, the Acknowledgers reporting the lowest, with the Minimizers in the middle. The Non-Abused group reported the healthiest adjustment in terms of adult relationship satisfaction. While Minimizers and Acknowledgers reported similar levels of psychologically abusive experiences, Acknowledgers reported more difficulties with adult relationships. Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of studying Minimizers, a group which describes abusive events but minimizes the meaning and scope of these experiences. The relatively higher levels of maternal care which the Minimizers reported is hypothesized to be associated with their perceptions that they were not abused and acted as a protective factor associated with better quality adult relationships. The varying degrees of nurturance and care in the early family environment of abused individuals is speculated to be associated with distinct perceptual styles. © 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd Key Words—Perception of abuse, Psychosocial dysfunction, Protective factor, Minimizing, Parenting styles. RESEARCH IN THE area of maltreatment has predominantly functioned within a direct and linear design framework. Early abusive childhood experiences have been shown to affect adult adjust- ment negatively. However, few studies have branched out of this cause and effect structure to examine the role of mediating variables. Possible risk or resiliency factors may be significant in leading abuse survivors down markedly different psychological pathways. The current project was in response to a number of studies that call for abuse research to identify and understand the role of mediating factors in adult outcome (Briere, 1992; Coffey, Leitenberg, Henning, Turner, & Submitted for publication June 7, 1998; final revision received December 15, 1998; accepted December 21, 1998. Requests for reprints should be sent to Rachna Varia, PhD, 2503 East Oltorf St., Apt. 1922, Austin, TX 78741 Pergamon Child Abuse & Neglect, Vol. 23, No. 11, pp. 1041–1055, 1999 Copyright © 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd Printed in the USA. All rights reserved 0145-2134/99/$–see front matter 1041