Attachment Status Affects Heart Rate Responses to Experimental Ostracism in Inpatients with Depression.

Jannika De Rubeis,Stefan Sütterlin,Claus Vögele,Annette Van Randenborgh,Markus Pawelzik,Diane Lange,Daniela Victor

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0150375

Abstract

Depression is assumed to be both a risk factor for rejection and a result of it, and as such constitutes an important factor in rejection research. Attachment theory has been applied to understand psychological disorders, such as depression, and can explain individual differences in responses to rejection. Research on autonomic nervous system activity to rejection experiences has been contradictory, with opposing strings of argumentation (activating vs. numbing). We investigated autonomic nervous system-mediated peripheral physiological responses (heart rate) to experimentally manipulated ostracism (Cyberball) in 97 depressed patients with organized (n = 52) and disorganized attachment status (n = 45). Controlling for baseline mean heart rate levels, depressed patients with disorganized attachment status responded to ostracism with significantly higher increases in heart rate than depressed patients with organized attachment status (p = .029; ηp2 = .051). These results suggest that attachment status may be a useful indicator of autonomic responses to perceived social threat, which in turn may affect the therapeutic process and the patient-therapist relationship.

Highlights

Social exclusion affects peoples’ psychological functioning and behavior
There was no difference in heart rate (HR) between the two groups at baseline, i.e. the 5 minute resting condition before the cyberball game (t(92) = -1.71, p = .09)
The univariate ANCOVA revealed a significant difference in heart rate changes between patients of organized and disorganized attachment controlling for baseline mean HR F(1) = 4.92; p = .029; ηp2 =

Summary

Introduction

Social exclusion affects peoples’ psychological functioning and behavior. It has been found to increase aggression [1,2,3,4], to decrement self-regulation [5], to threaten feelings of self-esteem, belonging, meaning, and control [6], to lead to social withdrawal, to physiological arousal, or to prosocial behavior [3]. Social exclusion is associated with the development of psychological disorders [7]. The experience of social rejection has been proposed to play a prominent role in the onset and the maintenance of depression [8]. Experiences of rejection by parents or peers, for example, are associated with internalizing problems [9] and with insecure attachment status that increase the risk for depression [10].

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Conclusion