Adult Attachment Style Research Articles

A correlation study of music training, adult attachment, and personality traits using a large-sample questionnaire.

Music training can provide benefits to psychological health and is strongly associated with adult attachment style and personality traits through bidirectional interactions. A large sample including 10,191 Chinese musicians and non-musicians completed the Relationship Questionnaire and Big-Five Personality Inventory. Connections between music training, adult attachment, and personality were analyzed with the following results: (1) personality traits were correlated with attachment dimensions, with positive correlations between secure attachment and extroversion and between dismissing attachment and neuroticism; (2) music training was connected with the secure and fearful-avoidant attachment dimensions, which complemented the effect of educational level in the preoccupied and dismissing dimensions; (3) music training enhanced extroversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, which interacted to affect extroversion and openness by gender; and (4) music training enhanced the regression of extroversion to preoccupied and secure attachments, and the regression of openness to preoccupied attachment. Conclusively, music training enhanced the connection between secure attachment and positive personality traits and regulated the correlation between insecure attachment and neuroticism. This analysis provides a large sample of statistical and practical evidence for the clinical practices of mental health and the educational and music training practices of co-cultivating cultural knowledge and artistic quality.

Is Your Pregnancy Unwanted or Unhappy? Psychological Correlates of a Cluster of Pregnant Women Who Need Professional Care.

A negative response towards a current pregnancy consists of two elements: unwantedness of and unhappiness about the current pregnancy. Little is clear about whether pregnant women can be categorized in terms of unwantedness and unhappiness as well as what the correlates are of these categories. An internet survey of 696 women in their first trimester of pregnancy examined the participants' intention of and emotional reaction towards pregnancy, borderline personality traits, adult attachment style, depression, fear of childbirth, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, fetal bonding disorder, avoidance of taking part in child care, and consideration about termination of pregnancy (TOP). About one third of the participants were followed up with in their second trimester. Two-step cluster analysis using the participants' intention of and emotional reaction towards pregnancy revealed three groups of pregnant women: those who wanted and were happy about the pregnancy (Cluster 1), those who were unhappy about the pregnancy (Cluster 2), and those who did not intend to be pregnant but were happy about pregnancy (Cluster 3). Cluster 2 women, but not Cluster 3 women, were likely to be single, with borderline personality traits as well as unstable adult attachment styles, accompanied by depression, fear of childbirth, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and fetal bonding disorder. They were more likely to avoid caring for the baby after childbirth and consider TOP. Expectant women who were unhappy about their pregnancy were at risk of psychological adjustment and need specific perinatal mental health assessment and care.

The impact of the social context on the development of secondary hyperalgesia: an experimental study.

Social support has been shown to reduce pain ratings and physiological responses to acute pain stimuli. Furthermore, this relationship is moderated by adult attachment styles. However, these effects have not been characterized in experimentally induced symptoms of chronic pain, such as secondary hyperalgesia (SH) which is characterized by an increased sensitivity of the skin surrounding an injury. We aimed to examine whether social support by handholding from a romantic partner can attenuate the development of experimentally induced SH. Thirty-seven women, along with their partners, participated in 2 experimental sessions 1 week apart. In both sessions, SH was induced using an electrical stimulation protocol. In the support condition, the partner was seated across from the participant holding the participant's hand during the electrical stimulation, whereas in the alone condition, the participant went through the stimulation alone. Heart rate variability was measured for both the participant as well as the partner before, during, and after the stimulation. We found that the width of the area of hyperalgesia was significantly smaller in the support condition. Attachment styles did not moderate this effect of social support on the area width. Increasing attachment avoidance was associated with both a smaller width of hyperalgesia and a smaller increase in the sensitivity on the stimulated arm. For the first time, we show that social support can attenuate the development of secondary hyperalgesia and that attachment avoidance may be associated with an attenuated development of secondary hyperalgesia.

Cyber intimate partner aggression in adulthood: the role of insecure attachment and self-control

PurposeThis study aims to build on existing literature on face-to-face aggression in intimate relationships and adopts Finkel’s I3 theory to investigate the relationship between adult attachment style, dispositional self-control and cyber intimate partner aggression (IPA) perpetration and victimization.Design/methodology/approachParticipants (N = 173) 20–52 years of age (M = 32.75 years, SD = 7.73, mode = 29 years) completed a series of standardized online measures to assess anxious and avoidant attachment, dispositional self-control and experience of cyber IPA (psychological, sexual and stalking), as both a perpetrator and victim.FindingsAvoidant attachment was associated with increased perpetration of stalking and psychological abuse. Those high on avoidant attachment were also more likely to report that they were victims of cyber IPA psychological abuse and stalking. Self-control did not predict experience of cyber IPA, as a perpetrator or victim. Interactions between self-control and attachment were also non-significant.Originality/valueThis study addressed the paucity of cyber IPA research conducted with adult populations, by examining processes and factors to improve understanding of the experiences of online perpetration and victimization. The study also found evidence for the importance of impellance factors but not inhibiting factors (Finkel, 2008).

An exploration of ex-boarding school adults’ attachment styles and substance use behaviours

ABSTRACT Our study examines the relationship between boarding school attendance, adult attachment styles, parental bonding, and substance use, aiming was to quantitatively investigate if caregiver deprivation caused by boarding contributes to enduring outcomes in adults. In a sample of 149 adults, measures included AUDIT and DUDIT (substance use), Parental Bonding Instrument (parental care), and Experiences in Close Relationships (adult attachment). Pearson’s correlation revealed a significant negative association between age at first boarding and anxiety, avoidant attachment styles, and poorer parental care, whilst a significant positive relationship was identified between age at first boarding and perceived parental care. This was supported by a hierarchical regression which demonstrated that the model predicted 29% of the variance in age at first boarding. These results contribute towards the formulation and treatment of ex-boarders and to research considering the effects of boarding school experiences on difficulties in adult life.

Age and adult attachment style predict psychological distress in the Singapore general population during COVID-19

ABSTRACT To date, there is increasing evidence to suggest that age and adult attachment styles, such as secure, anxious and avoidant attachment are predictive or protective for psychological distress. The study aimed to investigate the extent to which age and adult attachment style, measured by the Attachment Style Questionnaire, predicted psychological distress, measured by the Kessler 10 Psychological Distress Scale, in the Singapore general population during COVID-19. Ninety-nine residents of Singapore (44 females, 52 males, 3 prefer not to state their gender) aged between 18 and 66 completed an online survey, which collected information on age, adult attachment styles and levels of psychological distress. Multiple regression analysis was performed to study the influence of predictive factors on psychological distress. The study identified 20.2%, 13.1% and 14.1% of participants reporting psychological distress at the mild, moderate and severe levels, respectively. The study also reported that age and psychological distress were negatively correlated, and that psychological distress was negatively correlated with both anxious and avoidant attachment styles. It was concluded that age and adult attachment style significantly predicted psychological distress in the Singapore general population during COVID-19. Further studies exploring other variables and risk factors are required to further consolidate these results. At the global level, these findings may help countries predict residents’ reactions to future outbreaks and help them prepare strategies and approaches to address these situations.

Relationship between adult attachment and cognitive emotional regulation style in women and men

Cognitive emotion regulation (CER) strategies are useful in evaluating the risk of developing emotional disorders and that they may define subjects’ styles. This study aims to explore the extent to which specific styles of CER strategies relate to the anxious and avoidant attachment dimensions in adults and whether such relationships operate similarly for women and men. Two hundred and fifteen adults (between 22 and 67 years old) completed the Spanish versions of the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire and the Experiences in Close Relationships instrument. Cluster analysis, ANOVA and Student's t-test were used. Our results show that women and men can be successfully classified into two CER clusters (Protective and Vulnerable), distinguished by the higher use in the protective cluster of the CER strategies considered most adaptive and complex (Acceptance, Positive Refocusing, Refocus on Planning, Positive Reappraisal, and Putting into Perspective). However, only in women were the anxious and avoidant attachment dimensions significantly associated with CER style. In conclusion, from a clinical and interpersonal perspective, it is interesting to be able to predict the belonging to a Protective or Vulnerable coping style by analysing the CER strategies and to know their relationship with the adult affective system.

The Quality of Parental Responsiveness: The Validity and Reliability of a New Observational Measure

The quality of maternal care is one of the variables most related to child attachment and is, therefore, the target of many family interventions. The purpose of this study was to validate the Parental Responsiveness Quality (PRQ), a new observational measure that evaluates this variable. The analyses were performed on a sample of 50 participants. The internal structure was evaluated through an exploratory analysis (cluster analysis), which yielded five clusters. Four of them provided good reliability rates. Interjudge reliability was higher than .90 and the relationship with other variables, such as adult attachment style and parental stress, support the validity of their criteria. The PRQ measure promises to be a useful tool in the evaluation of the quality of parental responsiveness for parents with children between 1 and 6 years of age.

The Relationship Between Childhood Abuse and Adult Attachment Styles: The Mediator Role of Sensory Over-Responsivity

ABSTRACT Child abuse portrays health and well-being issues that can last for several years, including altering interpersonal behavior. Evidence has shown that these early negative experiences may cause changes in sensory modulation. This study aimed to understand if sensory over-responsivity (SOR) plays an important role in mediating the association between childhood abuse (emotional abuse, emotional neglect, sexual abuse, physical abuse, physical neglect) and attachment-related anxiety or avoidance in adult romantic relationships. An online survey was conducted to examine these associations in a Portuguese community sample (N = 500) aged 18–62 years. The presented mediation models shown a higher mediation percentage for attachment-related anxiety rather than avoidance. All variables predicted the mediator, except sexual abuse which did not predict the overall model when the mediator was included. Our results have implications for individual treatment approaches regarding child abuse victims and can certainly influence intervention strategies.

Childhood maltreatment and late-life generalized anxiety disorder: Are personality and attachment characteristics mediators?

Childhood maltreatment and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are related in adulthood. This association is not clear in the elderly. This work aims to investigate the role of adult attachment style and personality traits in the association between childhood maltreatment and late-life GAD. Our study sample consisted of 260 patients recruited into the Cerebral Aging Program of the city of Porto Alegre (Brazil) assessed between July 2015 and July 2016. A clinical interview using the Mini International Neuropsychiatry Interview 5.0 (DSM-5 criteria) yielded psychiatric diagnoses. Patients completed the childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ) for maltreatment, the relationship scales questionnaire (RSQ) for adult attachment style and the Brazilian 60-item version of the NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) for personality characteristics. We aimed to examine, using sequential multimediation analysis, if attachment and personality traits style could be mediators between childhood maltreatment and GAD. 20% presented late-life GAD (n=52), 29% of whom had been maltreated. Neuroticism positively mediated and extraversion negatively mediated the relation between childhood maltreatment and late-life GAD. Attachment anxiety mediated this relation in a sequential way suggesting a path from childhood trauma through attachment and personality traits towards late-life GAD. The small sample and the retrospective and cross-sectional study design mean that causal conclusions must be interpreted with caution. Our results suggest a chronological path from childhood maltreatment to late-life GAD, passing through attachment anxiety predicting higher levels of neuroticism and lower levels of extraversion predicting late-life GAD.

The Mediating Role of Postpartum Depression and Childbirth-related PTSD in the Relationship Between Attachment Styles and Postpartum Bonding Among Mothers in Ahvaz City, Iran

Objective: Several studies have explored the correlation between postpartum depression and a weak mother-infant bond; however, fewer studies have analyzed how other postpartum mental health conditions, such as childbirth-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or important personal characteristics, including adult attachment styles, affect the quality of the mother-infant bond. This study aims to examine the association between attachment styles and postpartum bonding in mothers, considering the mediating influence of postpartum depression and childbirth-related PTSD. Methods: A total of 150 mothers, 4 to 12 weeks postpartum, completed a demographic questionnaire, the Edinburgh postpartum depression questionnaire, the posttraumatic stress questionnaire related to the birth of a child, the mother-child bonding questionnaire, and the attachment style questionnaire. The posttraumatic stress related to the birth of a child questionnaire was translated into Persian for the first time and was used after confirming its validity and reliability. The proposed model was examined by the structural equation modeling method. Results: The conceptual model’s results showed that the direct and standardized effect of anxious attachment style (β=0.49, P=0.001) and avoidant attachment style (β=0.47, P=0.001) on postpartum depression were significant. Also, the direct effect of anxious attachment style (β=0.59, P=0.001) on postpartum PTSD was significant. However, the coefficient of avoidant attachment style (β=-0.04, P=0.581) was not significant for postpartum PTSD. Also, the coefficients were investigated from the direct effect of postpartum depression, postpartum PTSD, anxious attachment style, and avoidant attachment style. The obtained results showed that postpartum depression (β=0.27, P=0.001), postpartum PTSD (β=0.43, P=0.001), and anxious attachment style (β=0.39, P=0.001) could predict the mother-child bond. However, the avoidant attachment style (β=0.00, P=0.946) could not predict the mother-child bond. Conclusion: The findings of the study revealed that insecure attachment styles were linked to challenges in forming a strong mother-infant bond. Anxious attachment was also associated with bonding difficulties, which were influenced by symptoms of postpartum depression and childbirth-related PTSD. In contrast, a higher degree of avoidant attachment style was associated with more significant difficulties in bonding, which were mediated by symptoms of depression. Accordingly, if interventions aim to enhance the mother-infant bond, treatment should focus on addressing childbirth-related PTSD, PPD symptoms, and insecure attachment styles.

Factors affecting the association between maternal adverse childhood experiences and preschool children’s behavioural problems: a systematic review of mediators and moderators

Background Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are pernicious events (e.g., physical abuse) that occur before 18 years of age within the household. Mothers’ ACEs are associated intergenerationally with their preschool children’s (two-to-five-year-old) behavioural problems, impacting lifelong mental health trajectories. Mediators (e.g., mental health) may explain how mothers’ ACEs exert their influence on children's behavioural development whereas moderators (e.g., child sex) may affect the strength and direction of the association, revealing potential points of intervention. Therefore, this study aimed to: (1) identify mediators and moderators of this association; and (2) describe and compare moderation and mediation outcomes. Methods This review (#CRD42022307214) extracted data from peer-reviewed literature formally analyzing at least one moderating or mediating variable of the association between maternal ACEs and preschool children’s behavioural problems using MEDLINE, Embase, APA PsycINFO, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL, SCOPUS, and Web of Science databases (n = 7). Validity was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklists. Results Thirteen full-text studies with moderate-to-high validity were identified. Most studies examined mediating variables, with unanimous support for mediation through maternal depression. The mediating roles of adult attachment styles and anxiety were conflicting. No studies examined environmental factors (e.g., neurotoxins). Conclusions Mothers’ depression is a significant contributor to children’s behavioural problems in the context of ACEs and should be a target of early intervention to prevent lifelong challenges. Future research should focus on examining more moderating variables and consider the roles of environmental factors. More research is needed on the moderating and mediating roles of genes.

Marital Communication during Conflict: A Study on Attachment Dimensions and Interaction Patterns

Conflict is increasingly present and could be severe in many adult romantic relationships including marriage, yet understudied in the context of adult attachment style. This study set out to investigate the underlying relationship between adult attachment styles and patterns of interaction in a Malaysian setting. By means of survey method, data was collected using self-reporting questionnaire involving 400 married individuals in the state of Penang, Malaysia for the duration of six months, with Partial Least Squares (PLS) employed for data analysis. The application of Attachment Theory in this study was established via two dimensions of anxiety and avoidance. Result from the analysis yielded all the constructs have composite reliability value of more than 0.6 and convergent and discriminant validity with an average variance extracted (AVE) value greater than 0.50. The findings indicated that, married individuals who are high in anxiety will exhibit destructive and avoidance patterns during conflict. Similarly, married individuals who are high in avoidance will exhibit destructive, avoidance and low level of constructive pattern during conflict. The study concludes that conflict pattern of interaction among married individuals is a function of adult romantic attachment styles. This study also addressed the gap in research literature by providing a non-western context by basing research within a Malaysian setting. Keywords: Anxiety, avoidance, conflict, marital communication, married individuals.

A study on the relationship between college students' social anxiety and adult attachment style

This paper mainly analyzes the relationship between adult attachment and social anxiety of college students. In order to make the research data more authentic and accurate, this paper mainly investigates the influence of adult attachment on social anxiety of college students by taking the class test and filling in the network questionnaire. As a result, it can be found that adult attachment of college students has a significant correlation with social anxiety in two dimensions of attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety, and the dimension of attachment anxiety has a moderate significant correlation with social anxiety.

Insecure adult attachment styles are associated with parental reflective functioning pre-mentalizing modes

IntroductionParental Reflective Functioning (PRF) refers to parents’ capacity to view their child’s and their own behavior considering inner mental states, like thoughts, desires, and intentions. It has been related to attachment, mentalizing capacities, and psychopathology in children. An association between adult attachment style and reflective functioning has been described. Studies have also suggested that parental insecure attachment is related to lower levels of PRF.ObjectivesWe aim to study the association between specific adult attachment styles (anxious [Anx] and/or avoidant [Av]) and specific PRF modes (pre-mentalizing [PM], certainty about mental states [CMS] and/or interest and curiosity [IC]).MethodsA sample of 238 parents (228 mothers and 34 fathers) of 263 children aged 0 to 5 years old were recruited through informal difussion of the study in social media. These parents completed the Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised (ECR-R) and the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire-18 (PRFQ-18) online. Sex and age of parents and children were also gathered. In the first place, Pearson’s correlation was conducted to study the association between the ECR-R and the PRFQ-18 subscales. In a second step, general linear models were used to control for the effect of sex and/or age, when necessary.ResultsMothers’ mean age was 35,59±4,55 and fathers’ 38,26±4,47. Among children, a total of 119 were girls (45,2%) and 140 (53,2%) boys; in 4 (1,5%) cases the sex was not specified. The association between attachment and PRF subscales is shown in Table 1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 78Parent age-Parent sex-0,196**-Child age0,273**0,054-Child sex0,0620,0140,041-PRFQ PM0,120-0,0590,072-0,001-PRFQ CMS-0,1090,135*0,137*0,015-0,256**-PRFQ IC-0,0990,163**0,121-0,069-0,0720,078-ECR-R Anx0,115-0,138*-0,0270,0060,410**-0,232**-0,035-ECR-R Av0,137*-0,0490,007-0,0910,186**-0,049-0,1030,279****p<.001,*p<.05 In a second step, the influence of Anx attachment on CMS was controlled for parents’ sex and children’s age; β-value of Anx was -0,288 (p<.000) and the whole model explained 70% of the variability of CMS.ConclusionsWe observed that Anx attachment is associated with lower CMS and greater PM. With regard to CMS, both high and low extreme scores have been proposed to be less adaptative than average scores. Av attachment has also been related to higher PM scores. PM mode, which involves “an inability to hold the child’s mental states in mind and/or to have malevolent attributions about the child’s behavior”, is indicative of pathological PRF, and seems to be associated with insecure attachment (↑Anx/Av). Our results are in line with previous works (San Cristobal et al. Front. Psychol. 2017; Luyten et al. PLOS ONE 2017), and suggest that PRF could play a role in the intergenerational transmission of attachment, which should be further investigated.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Adult attachment as a predictor of maternal gatekeeping among new parents

AbstractThis study examined the associations between expectant couples' adult attachment styles and new mothers' gatekeeping (i.e., maternal behaviors that may inhibit or encourage father involvement in parenting) at the transition to parenthood. Data were drawn from a study of 182 different‐gender dual‐earner couples followed from the third trimester of pregnancy through 3 months postpartum. In the third trimester, expectant parents reported their attachment anxiety and avoidance. At 3 months postpartum, mothers and fathers reported on mothers' gate opening and gate closing behaviors. Also, at 3 months postpartum, maternal gate opening and gate closing were coded during mother–father–infant interactions in play and caregiving. Actor–Partner Interdependence Models were conducted in IBM SPSS AMOS 21.0. Findings indicated that higher maternal anxiety predicted higher mother‐reported maternal gate closing, whereas higher paternal avoidance and higher paternal anxiety predicted lower father‐reported maternal gate opening. During caregiving, higher paternal anxiety predicted higher observed maternal gate closing, and higher maternal anxiety predicted lower observed maternal gate opening. Findings reveal the importance of attachment in coparenting relationships among new parents, as attachment anxiety and avoidance may shape maternal behaviors encouraging or hindering father involvement in parenting.

The Relationship between Fathers Parenting Behavior and Adult Attachment

Parenting behaviors are based on the Internal Working Model (IWM), which people acquire through attachment experiences in childhood. Bowlby and Ainsworth developed the fundamental model of childhood attachment. Later, researchers extended the original attachment theory and measures of adult attachment to study adult attachment bonds. The attachment styles of adults and their parenting behaviors are closely related. There is a connection between a parents adult attachment style and parenting style, as they have varying levels of demandingness in their IWM. Nonetheless, when fathers and mothers experience marital conflict or maltreatment, there is a difference between them. As most previous research concentrated on mothers, it is important to investigate and gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between the fathers adult attachment and fathers parenting style, considering various marital factors. Father with an insecure adult attachment tend to adopt approaches of withdrawal or authoritarian control in parenting, especially in the case of conflict. A secure adult attachment of father is essential for the child to develop a secure attachment. A better understanding of the fathers parenting style can help improve family intervention programs. This review can provide some insights for future research regarding the role of father in a family.

The associations between early maladaptive schemas and adult attachment styles: A meta-analysis.

The associations between early maladaptive schemas and adult attachment styles: A meta-analysis.

“Nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so”: Commentary on “The association between early maladaptive schemas and adult attachment styles: A meta-analysis”.

“Nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so”: Commentary on “The association between early maladaptive schemas and adult attachment styles: A meta-analysis”.

Exploring the Association between Attachment Style, Psychological Well-Being, and Relationship Status in Young Adults and Adults-A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: This study aimed to analyze the associations of adult attachment styles with psychological well-being in relation to age groups (young adults vs adults) and relationship status (singleness vs close relationships). Method: The study sample consisted of 393 Italian young adults and adults, aged 18 to 62 years, with stable close relationships (n = 219) or identified in this study as singles (n = 174). The Psychological Well-being Scale was used to analyze psychological well-being, and the Attachment Style Questionnaire was chosen to evaluate adult attachment dimensions. Results: Individuals with stable close relationships reported higher levels of psychological well-being than singles. Furthermore, compared to people with stable close relationships, singles had an attachment style associated with discomfort with closeness, relationships as secondary, and avoidance. Finally, in single people, psychological well-being was moderately and positively predicted by attachment style characterized by confidence but strongly and negatively by attachment characterized by the need for approval. Regarding individuals with stable relationships, psychological well-being was strongly and negatively predicted by attachment style characterized by the need for approval. Conclusions: In adult attachment styles, close relationships can be viewed as a protective factor for long-term emotional stability and psychological well-being.