An investigation into the relationship between attachment, gender and recovery from psychosis in a stable community‐based sample

Abstract

The current study sought to investigate how men and women who experience psychosis represent early bonding experiences, current attachment style and the recovery style adopted. Seventy-three participants (18 women and 55 men) with a diagnosis of psychosis completed the Parental Bonding Instrument, the Attachment Style Questionnaire and the Recovery Style Questionnaire. Differences were observed between men and women in relation to the nature of insecure attachment styles demonstrated. Significant associations were found between perceptions of parents as uncaring and insecurity in adult attachment style. A greater number of significant associations were found between recollections of early bonding and attachment styles amongst women than men. Men and women did not differ significantly in terms of the recovery style adopted, nor were significant differences found in relation to perceptions of early bonding experiences. Methodological and theoretical issues were considered and directions for future research were suggested.