THE INFLUENCE OF PAST EXPERIENCES ON THE REPETITION OF DYSFUNCTIONAL RELATIONAL PATTERNS: A MIXED ANALYSIS AND INTERVENTION STRATEGIES

Abstract

This study further investigates how past experiences, particularly childhood traumas and parental models, influence the persistence of dysfunctional behaviors in adult affective relationships. It is frequently observed that individuals find themselves trapped in cycles of suffering, reproducing harmful relational patterns that hark back to earlier stages of life. Using a mixed methodological approach, which combined quantitative data on pattern prevalence with qualitative data on emotional depth, the research sought to map the prevalence, the perception, and the underlying emotional origins of these patterns. The results from the sample of 47 respondents confirmed the hypothesis that the repetition of dysfunctional patterns is directly linked to negative experiences and emotional wounds from childhood. Significant factors supporting this finding included the high perception of repetition (80.9%), the link to family patterns (63.8%), and the predominance of descriptions of unhealthy/unstable parental environments (46.8%). Anxiety (29.8%) and insecurity (14.9%) emerged as the most frequent emotions cited by the participants. The conclusion points to the compulsion to repeat as an unconscious attempt to "correct" the past and emphasizes psychotherapy as the main tool to promote awareness, reframe traumas, and ultimately break these detrimental cycles.