The characteristics of anxiety disorders of attachment patterns and its related factors

Abstract

Objective To explore the characteristics of attachment and the effects of childhood trauma, emotional autonomy and parental rearing style of anxiety disorders. Methods 38 outpatients and hospital patients in Anhui Mental Health Center with anxiety were recruited as the study group, and 39 age-, gender-, and education-matched adult college students or medical staff were screened as the control group.The study group and control group were assessed with adult attachment questionnaire3.1(AAQ3.1), parental bonding instrument(PBI), childhood trauma questionnaire 28item short form(CTQ-SF) and emotional autonomy scale(EAS). Results ①Higher levels of insecure adult attachment (84.2%) were reported in the anxiety disorders group compared with the normal controls(10.3%), and the attachment type of two groups had statistical significance(χ2=42.28, P<0.01). ②The attachment of anxiety disorders, emotional autonomy, childhood trauma and the way of parenting was related to different degree.Attachment, childhood trauma and parenting were significantly increased in the anxiety disorders group compared with the normal controls(P<0.05). The mother attachment factors were significantly correlated with individualized (r=0.405, P<0.405), mother love (r=0.358, P<0.358), mother control (r=0.467, P<0.467), father control (r=0.460, P<0.01), emotional abuse (r=0.473, P<0.473) and sexual abuse (r=0.494, P<0.01). The father attachment factors were significantly correlated with individualized (r=0.520, P<0.01), emotional abuse (r=0.339, P<0.339) and sexual abuse (r=0.378, P<0.05). And individualized, mother love, parental control, emotional and physical abuse could be employed to predict attachment factor. Conclusion The attachment pattern is insecure in the anxiety disorders.Emotional autonomy, childhood trauma and parenting have a significant influence on attachment patterns of anxiety disorders. Key words: Attachment; Anxiety disorders; Emotional autonomy; Childhood trauma; Parental rearing style