Trait Characteristics, Exposure to Abusive Dating Behaviours and Paranoia in a Sample of British Adults

ABSTRACT This cross‐sectional correlational survey study uses the vulnerability‐stress model to examine interactions between trait characteristics and exposure to abusive dating behaviours (ghosting, breadcrumbing, gaslighting and coercion) and their associations with paranoia. A sample of 544 individuals in the United Kingdom provided socio‐demographic information and then completed measures of ghosting, breadcrumbing, gaslighting, coercion, attachment style, rejection sensitivity, identity resilience self‐esteem and paranoia. Two generalised linear models showed that being single interacted with breadcrumbing to predict higher paranoia; that rejection sensitivity and anxious and close attachment interacted with ghosting to predict higher and lower paranoia, respectively; and that being single and anxious attachment style interacted with gaslighting and coercion to predict higher paranoia. People with certain trait characteristics may be more or less prone to paranoia when exposed to the common abusive behaviours of ghosting, breadcrumbing, gaslighting and coercion from a dating partner. Psychological interventions should focus on developing secure working attachment models and identity resilience self‐esteem to reduce the risk of paranoia in people faced with abusive dating behaviours.