Emotional Abuse Test

Emotional abuse quiz is the digital adaptation of the preliminary version of Deenz Emotional Abuse Scale (DEAS-18). The results are provided for educational purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice. Participation in this quiz is completely anonymous; no personal data is collected, and results are not stored for research purposes. Drdeenz adheres to the ethical considerations proposed by the Institutional Review Board (IRB).

Emotional abuse leaves lasting scars on the soul that are not visible but are deeply felt. Abusers intentionally employ tactics such as manipulation, embarrassment, denial of love, Isolation, and humiliation aimed to undermine an individual’s emotional and psychological well-being. ^{[1] Goldsmith, … “Awareness for emotional abuse.”} Modern psychology and researchers emphasize understanding, identifying, and addressing emotional abuse as a serious psychological concern that can have a profound impact on an individual’s interpersonal, social, and psychological well-being. ^{[2] Thompson, … “Childhood emotional abuse.”}

Emotional abuse is not limited to romantic or interpersonal relationships, emotional abuse can occur in various forms such as family relationships, workplaces, educational and community settings.

Key aspects or indicators of emotional abuse.

During the lecture review of research on emotional abuse and understanding key aspects, it was found that emotional abuse is a multifaceted, complex, and dynamic pattern of behaviors that manifest differently. The research focuses on understanding and identifying the signs of emotional abuse by measuring 6 key aspects that are interconnected and overlap in the experience of emotional abuse.

Inadequate: The persistent and damaging sense of insufficiency is a strong indication of emotional abuse. Emotional abusers employ tactics that make the victim feel insufficient, incapable, and unworthy.

Dependent: In a relationship, mutual respect, encouragement, and support are the key aspects that make it healthy. In some cases power dynamics play a key role where the victim’s autonomy is diminished, creating a sense of dependence. People who score high in this trait do not necessarily mean they are emotionally abused but feelings of being trapped and excessive dependence in a relationship can be a sign of emotional abuse.

Distrusting: Distrust refers to a lack of confidence, faith, or belief in someone. It involves suspicion of the intentions of a person, motives, and truthfulness of others. Past experiences might be the reason behind the rise of these experiences.

Restrained: Restraint refers to a situation where a person may feel limited, controlled, or held back. The feeling of being restrained can be a sign of other psychological conditions but being restrained can have a profound impact on interpersonal relationships.

Submissive: Submissive behavior can be a survival strategy adopted by individuals who might be the victim of emotional abuse. The submission of desires, demands, or expressions by the victim erodes the sense of autonomy. People with this type of behavior may frequently apologize even for their actions might be legitimate.

Vulnerable: People who are being emotionally abused might feel exposed, defenseless, and suspectable to further emotional harm. They also feel unsafe, uneasy, or threatened in expressing their true emotions whether it may be joy or sadness. The fear of negative consequences, judgment, or rejection is a strong sign of emotional abuse.

References

1. Goldsmith, Rachel E., and Jennifer J. Freyd. “Awareness for emotional abuse.” Journal of Emotional Abuse 5.1 (2005): 95-123. https://doi.org/10.1300/J135v05n01_04 ↩

2. Thompson, Anne E., and Carole A. Kaplan. “Childhood emotional abuse.” The British Journal of Psychiatry 168.2 (1996): 143-148. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.168.2.143 ↩