Attachment Classifications Research Articles

Assessing Attachment Classification Difference Between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Children: A Systematic Review

This systematic review sought to investigate differences in attachment classification between Indigenous and non-Indigenous children, measures used to determine Indigenous attachment classification, and adjustments made to measurements to ensure relevance to Indigenous participants. Owing to diversity in cultural context and caregiving arrangements between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations, classification differences were expected between cohorts. A systematic search of 5,980 studies was undertaken to investigate attachment classification differences between Indigenous and non-Indigenous infants and children, age 0 to 18 years, in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and America, in which 15 eligible quantitative and qualitative studies were identified and synthesized ( N = 3,452). There were no suitable Australian, New Zealand, or Canadian studies utilizing Indigenous samples. The review relied on Native American infant and child samples and found a lack of culturally specific attachment classifications, as studies did not distinguish between Indigenous and non-Indigenous participant classifications. Furthermore, studies did not validate adjustments made to attachment measures or designs to ensure contextual relevance and applicability to Indigenous participants. The review brings to attention the lack of culturally specific attachment measures for Indigenous infants and children. Further research is needed to establish a reliable attachment classification system for use with Indigenous infants and children to ensure a comprehensive and informed understanding of Indigenous caregiving systems and assessment and influence key decisions that impact the wellbeing of Indigenous people.

Regulation Focused Psychotherapy for Children (RFP-C) with Externalizing Behaviors: Comparing the Successful Case of "Jack," and the Unsuccessful Case of "Oliver"

Regulation Focused Psychotherapy for Children (RFP-C) is a manualized, time-limited, psychodynamic approach for children who experience challenges with emotion regulation and demonstrate externalizing behavior problems (Hoffman et al., 2016). In research settings, it takes place over ten weeks and includes 16 sessions with the child and four with the child’s parents. This protocol can be extended or modified in regular clinical practice. The current study utilized a dual case study method to analyze pretreatment and post-treatment measures and compare psychotherapy outcomes and process in RFP-C between a successful and an unsuccessful case. Data examined included (a) quantitative outcome measures; (b) case conceptualizations and clinical vignettes drawn from review of session videos; (c) post-treatment interviews with parent, child, and therapist; and (d) psychotherapy process codings of child and parent sessions. These data were employed to (a) identify differential psychotherapy processes; (b) assess parental defense mechanisms; (c) assess parental attachment classifications; and (d) evaluate therapist countertransference ratings. Results indicated that many variables contributed to successful versus unsuccessful treatment outcomes, including but not limited to (a) the child’s spontaneity; (b) the child’s active participation and emotional expression throughout treatment; (c) themes of child play; (d) the therapist’s countertransference; (e) the child and parental defense mechanisms; and (f) the parental attachment styles. Taken together, findings from this study contribute to the literature on therapeutic outcomes for children and families and highlight some of the essential characteristics of successful psychotherapy process. Limitations of the study and directions for future research are also discussed.

Bridging attachment theory and interpersonal acceptance-rejection theory in the strange situation procedure in a low-risk sample in Egypt.

This study is the first to explore the relation between children's attachment classifications, assessed by Mary Ainsworth's Strange Situation Procedure (SSP), and mothers' acceptance-rejection behaviors from the lens of Interpersonal Acceptance-Rejection Theory (IPARTheory). As a pilot study, the sample consisted of 23 Egyptian mother-child dyads. The mean age of children in the SSP was 18.6 months (SD=3.10). Mothers' acceptance-rejection behaviors were explored through the Parental Acceptance-Rejection/Control Questionnaire (PARQ/Control). The pilot study's findings revealed that maternal acceptance-rejection behaviors significantly differed across children's attachment classifications. The findings also shed light on gender differences in parenting, as mothers tended to show a higher level of hostility/aggression, undifferentiated rejection, and control with their daughters more than sons. This study is an important stepping-stone for attachment research in the Arab world. It highlights several cultural aspects to be taken into account for future research using the SSP in Egypt or any other Arab country.

Celebrating more than 26,000 adult attachment interviews: mapping the main adult attachment classifications on personal, social, and clinical status

ABSTRACT Since the development of the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) in 1985, more than 26,000 AAIs have been administered, coded, and reported, representing 170 (wo-)man-years of work. We used multinomial tests and analyses of correspondence to compare the AAI distributions in various cultural and age groups, in mothers, fathers, high-risk, and clinical samples with the combined samples of North American non-clinical, non-risk mothers (22% dismissing, 53% secure, 8% preoccupied, and 17% unresolved loss or other trauma). Males were more often classified as dismissing and less frequently classified as secure compared to females (except adoptive fathers), and females were more frequently classified as unresolved (but not more often preoccupied) compared to males. A combination of high scores on the unresolved and insecure-preoccupied dimensions was shared by borderline personality disorder, autism spectrum disorders, and gender dysphoria, while combined high scores on the unresolved and insecure-dismissing dimensions characterized anxiety problems, obsessive-compulsive and thought disorders.

A preliminary investigation of parent-child attachment relationship in toddlers with autism traits

Using a cross-sectional design, this study explored attachment insecurity and disorganization (assessed using the Strange Situation Procedure) in 90 toddlers (aged 14–24 months) with and without autism traits and assessed the associations between autism traits (severity and profiles) and both developmental level and attachment classification. Our findings showed no significant differences between the rates of attachment insecurity or attachment disorganisation among toddlers with, and toddlers without, autism traits. However, among the toddlers with autism traits, those with a disorganised attachment were more likely to have autism traits of greater severity. While greater autism trait severity was associated with attachment disorganisation, it remains unclear whether this association is the result of children with autism traits having higher rates of attachment disorganisation or whether autism traits are being misinterpreted as attachment disorganisation indices.

Preterm infant attachment is independent of breast milk intake during neonatal care

Background Following preterm birth, breast milk feeding is recommended because it confers broad health benefits to preterm infants. Breast milk has been suggested to promote secure attachment in infancy, but this is uncertain. Elucidating the relationship between breast milk intake and infant attachment is crucial for supporting parents of preterm infants to make feeding choices and providing accurate counselling when breast milk is not available. We aimed to investigate if breast milk exposure during neonatal care associates with attachment outcomes derived from infants’ responses to the Still-Face Paradigm (SFP) at nine months of age. Methods We studied 77 preterm (< 33 weeks’ gestation) and 71 term infants. Preterm infant feeding data were collected from birth until hospital discharge. Infant responses to the SFP were videocoded at nine months corrected age. Infants’ distress, fretfulness, attentiveness to caregivers and attachment classification were compared between preterm infants who received exclusive breast milk for ≥ 75% of inpatient days, those who received exclusive breast milk for < 75% of inpatient days, and term infants. Milk intake thresholds were chosen based on our previous work demonstrating positive associations between breast milk intake and MRI markers of brain maturation. Results There were no significant differences in infant distress, fretfulness, attentiveness to caregivers (p-values > 0.19), or in the odds of secure versus insecure attachment classification (relative risk ratio = 0.57–0.89, p-values = 1.00) between preterm infants with high or low breast milk exposure, or term comparators. Conclusions Attachment outcomes at nine months were similar between term and preterm infants, and breast milk exposure did not associate with attachment in the preterm group. Although breast milk feeding has clear benefits, these findings may alleviate some of the pressures experienced by parents who are unable to provide breast milk for infants cared for in the neonatal unit.

Attachment classification and early adversity predict perinatal partial hospital treatment response

BackgroundDepression and anxiety are common in the perinatal period. While most of those affected respond well to treatment, a subpopulation is more resistant. Understanding more about individuals who do not respond well to available treatments may improve care for this group. MethodsWe administered entry and exit self-report measures to 178 women who participated in a specialized partial hospitalization program for perinatal individuals. Baseline measures of anxiety, obsessive symptoms, sleep quality, early life adversity, and adult attachment security were examined as potential predictors of response to treatment. ResultsWhile no individual baseline survey predicted treatment response, clustering patients on the basis of a combination of self-report adult attachment styles and early life adversity yielded four distinct groups. A cluster with high attachment anxiety, high attachment avoidance, and childhood history of verbal and emotional abuse was less responsive to treatment than the other groups. ConclusionsCombining detailed information about self-report adult attachment style and early life adversity may improve prediction of treatment response in individuals with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.

Resolved or unresolved, that is the question: a case-study approach to discourse about abuse, trauma and maltreatment among mothers with mild intellectual disabilty

ABSTRACT Mary Main played a key role for this study, in which we used an idiographic approach to examine discourse about abuse, trauma, and maltreatment (ATM) among eight mothers with a mild intellectual disability (ID), whose children had been assigned a secure (the “B-group”) or disorganized (the “D-group”) attachment classification. Thematic analysis yielded six ATM discourse themes: openness; coherence; presence of trauma in consciousness; support; agency in response to crisis; and self-concept and caregiving self-efficacy. Mothers in the B-group provided coherent narratives, were open with the interviewer, had memories of seeking and receiving support, and reflected freely and autonomously on their experiences. Contrastingly, the mothers in the D-group expressed a guarded, closed-off stance towards ATM, difficulties seeking support, helplessness in response to crisis, and poor self-concept and -efficacy. Their adverse experiences were nonetheless highly present in consciousness, albeit in unintegrated forms. Our findings suggest that the D-group mothers may be unresolved with respect to loss/abuse

Association of Frenum Attachments with Age and Gender in a Sample of Iraqi People: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: The labial frenum is a thin fold of oral mucosa that contains muscle fibers. It connects the lips to the tissues and bones around the upper and lower teeth. Objective: To assess the various types of labial frenal attachments in the upper and lower jaws, as well as their relationship with age and gender, in a sample of the Iraqi population. Methods: The study includes 1,939 subjects (978 males and 961 females) with an age range of 10 to 70 years. These individuals visited the Periodontics Department of Dentistry at Al-Rafidain University College in Baghdad, Iraq, from October 2021 to April 2023. The patients were categorized into age subgroups: 10–30 years, 31–50 years, and 51–70 years. Descriptive statistics estimate frequencies and percentages, and the Chi-square test compares the results. Results: The total number of labial frenum attachments, encompassing both upper and lower attachments, varies between males and females. There are 1397 gingival attachments (36.02%), 1793 mucosal attachments (46.24%), 567 papillary attachments (14.62%), and 121 papillary penetrating attachments (3.12%) in both sexes. In both sexes, there is a significant correlation between age and different upper and lower labial frenum attachment categories. Additionally, there is a significant correlation between gender and the upper and lower labial frenum attachment categories. Conclusions: In the maxilla, the gingival attachment was more prevalent, followed by the mucosal attachment. However, we detect the mucosa attachment in the mandible, followed by the gingiva attachment. There was a significant relationship between frenum attachment, age, and gender.

Classification et représentations d'attachement et comportements intériorisés et extériorisés des enfants de la protection de l'enfance

IntroductionChildren who have experienced potentially traumatic situations within their first attachment relationships (e.g., abuse, neglect) are more at risk of presenting attachment insecurity and disorganization as well as insecure attachment representations. These children would also be more at risk of developing internalized (e.g., anxiety, depression) and externalized behaviors (e.g., aggressivity, opposition). ObjectivesThe study aims to provide a portrait of attachment classification and representations and internalized and externalized behaviors in children aged 7 to 12 from three groups: 35 maltreated children, 42 children from a clinical group, and 39 children from a normative group. The study also aims to evaluate associations between attachment and internalized and externalized behaviors and to detect predictors of internalized and externalized behaviors amongst attachment-related variables. MethodParticipants took part in The Attachment Story Completion Task (ASCT) and a semi-structured interview, the Child Attachment Interview (CAI). Caregivers completed the Child behaviour Checklist to assess internalized and externalized behaviors. ResultsResults show lower levels of attachment security as well as higher levels of insecure attachment representations and internalized and externalized behaviors in maltreated children. Only disorganized attachment was found to be associated with internalized and externalized behaviors. The ASCT could not differentiate the groups and showed little association with internalized and externalized behaviors. ConclusionDisorganized attachment is mainly associated with maltreatment and internalized and externalized behaviors, contrary to ASCT variables, thus generating questions regarding this tool's suitability for school-aged children.

A short version of the reflective functioning questionnaire: Validation in a greek sample.

This study aims to validate the Greek version of the 54-item Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ), a measure designed to assess an individual's capacity for understanding themselves and others based on internal mental states. This capacity, also known as Reflective Functioning (RF) or mentalizing, is believed to play a significant role in both typical and atypical development. The validation process examined the factor structure of the RFQ and its relationship with a variety of psychosocial and clinical constructs that have theoretical and empirical links to RF. Additionally, this research investigated the factor structure's invariance across gender and age groups to determine the robustness of the instrument. A unique contribution of this work lies in examining the application of the RFQ to attachment classifications through the use of cluster analysis. The sample consisted of 875 Greek adults from the general community with a mean age of 28.5 and a median age of 22. Participants completed the Greek RFQ along with a series of self-report questionnaires assessing psychosocial constructs, including attachment, epistemic trust, emotion regulation, and psychological mindedness, as well as clinical variables such as anxiety, depression, and borderline personality traits. Our findings suggest that a shorter, 31-item version of the questionnaire provides a robust three-factor structure across a non-clinical Greek adult population. The three identified subscales are (a) excessive certainty, (b) interest/curiosity, and (c) uncertainty/confusion, all demonstrating satisfactory reliability and construct validity. The uncertainty subscale was found to be associated with insecure attachment styles, epistemic mistrust and credulity, emotional suppression, and low psychological mindedness. In contrast, the certainty and curiosity subscales were linked to secure attachment, epistemic trust, emotion reappraisal, and psychological mindedness. Uncertainty was further shown to differ significantly across probable clinical and non-clinical groups, as distinguished by cut-off scores for anxiety, depression, and borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, the certainty and interest/curiosity subscales only varied between the two BPD groups. Our results provide the first evidence supporting the use of a 31-item version of the RFQ with three validated subscales to reliably assess reflective functioning in the Greek population, demonstrating stronger psychometric properties compared to other RFQ versions reported in previous studies. Findings suggest that impaired mentalizing capacity, as measured by the RFQ, is linked to insecure attachment, epistemic mistrust and credulity, poor emotion regulation, and low psychological mindedness, and potentially plays a role in adult mental health symptoms.

Adult Attachment Questionnaire: evidence of validity in a sample of IPVAW offenders.

Adult attachment can be understood as a cognitive and emotional system concerning oneself and others, based on previous attachment experiences throughout life. This system automatically affects relationships with others. Because of its importance in the interpersonal domain, it has been studied on numerous occasions in research on intimate partner violence. The aim of this study was to obtain evidence of validity of the Adult Attachment Questionnaire (AAQ) in a sample of 331 men convicted of intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW). The AAQ assesses adult attachment style in four dimensions that, together, yield four attachment categories. A psychometric analysis was performed, including reliability analysis and confirmatory factor analysis of the items, which ratified the factorial structure of the questionnaire. For a correct fit of the model, it was necessary to eliminate 4 of the items from the original scale. A latent profile analysis was also carried out, which identified four attachment styles: secure, preoccupied/anxious, avoidant/dismissing and fearful. Reliability indices were adequate. In general, the attachment profiles obtained ranges and means similar to those found in the general population study. The distribution of attachment styles was not equal: 50.57% of the participants presented secure attachment, 4.57% avoidant/dismissing attachment, 36.9% preoccupied/anxious, and 8.57% fearful. In conclusion, a valid and reliable instrument was determined based on the original AAQ scale to measure attachment in men convicted of IPVAW.

Pengaruh Kelekatan Orang Tua dan Kecerdasan Emosi terhadap Agresivitas Remaja

In the evolution of individual personality, the adolescent phase holds unique and critical significance as during this period, adolescents have various responsibilities, including exploring and establishing their identity. Parents play a vital role during this phase as adolescents tend to have a high level of curiosity, which can lead to negative actions or aggressive behavior. This research aims to determine the correlation between parental attachment and emotional intelligence on adolescent aggression in Bogor. Aggressive behavior is a significant contributor factor to the high morbidity and mortality rates among adolescents worldwide. This research utilizes a quantitative correlational research method. The sampling technique used in this study is the convenience sampling method. The research was conducted from October to November 2023, with respondents from SMA Plus Bina Bangsa Sejahtera students. The research findings indicate that among the respondents, 25 percent fell under the insecure attachment category, 64 percent fell within the moderate aggression category, followed by 7 percent who fell under the high aggression category, while the remaining respondents were under the low aggression category. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of parental attachment and emotional intelligence in adolescent aggression. The findings show that secure attachment and high emotional intelligence play an important role in reducing aggressive behavior among adolescents.

Enhancing EEG-based attachment style prediction: unveiling the impact of feature domains.

Attachment styles are crucial in human relationships and have been explored through neurophysiological responses and EEG data analysis. This study investigates the potential of EEG data in predicting and differentiating secure and insecure attachment styles, contributing to the understanding of the neural basis of interpersonal dynamics. We engaged 27 participants in our study, employing an XGBoost classifier to analyze EEG data across various feature domains, including time-domain, complexity-based, and frequency-based attributes. The study found significant differences in the precision of attachment style prediction: a high precision rate of 96.18% for predicting insecure attachment, and a lower precision of 55.34% for secure attachment. Balanced accuracy metrics indicated an overall model accuracy of approximately 84.14%, taking into account dataset imbalances. These results highlight the challenges in using EEG patterns for attachment style prediction due to the complex nature of attachment insecurities. Individuals with heightened perceived insecurity predominantly aligned with the insecure attachment category, suggesting a link to their increased emotional reactivity and sensitivity to social cues. The study underscores the importance of time-domain features in prediction accuracy, followed by complexity-based features, while noting the lesser impact of frequency-based features. Our findings advance the understanding of the neural correlates of attachment and pave the way for future research, including expanding demographic diversity and integrating multimodal data to refine predictive models.

Early childhood attachment stability to mothers, fathers, and both parents as a network: associations with parents' well-being, marital relationship, and child behavior problems

ABSTRACT This study examines the stability of child attachment to mothers and fathers separately, and to both parents as a network between the infancy and preschool periods using a sample of 143 biparental families and their children (73 boys) recruited from the general population. Attachment was assessed at 15 months with the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP) and at 45 months with the Preschool Attachment Classification Coding System (PACS). First, results show no stability in attachment to mothers, to fathers, or to both parents as a network. Second, parents’ mental health, life satisfaction, marital satisfaction, and child externalizing behavior are associated with attachment stability. Taken altogether, group comparisons reveal that children with a stable secure attachment to both parents as a network have parents with higher levels of well-being and exhibit less problem behaviors than children with 1) a stable secure attachment to one parent and an unstable attachment to the other parent (from secure to insecure or from insecure to secure), or 2) who never had a stable secure attachment to either parent. This study highlights the significance of attachment to both parents as a network over time as it is associated with developmental outcomes.

Anatomical Variants of the Uncinate Process: A Challenge in the Endoscopic Surgery of the Nose and Paranasal Sinuses.

Importance To identify the anatomical variants of the uncinate process relevant to surgical intervention during the nose and paranasal sinus surgeries. Objective To evaluate the frequency of anatomical variants of the uncinate process in a population of northeast Mexico and compare it with another population. Methods Retrospective study, descriptive and analytical, randomly selected patients with radiological evaluation at Hospital Universitario Dr. José Eleuterio González, Monterrey, Mexico. Images were obtained from the Radiology Department. A total of 149 patients aged from 18 to 79 years with paranasal sinus-CT performed between January 2019 and December 2021 were analyzed. The variables evaluated wereuncinate process anatomical variations by age group, radiological classification of the superior attachment of the uncinate process, and morphological variations. Main outcomes and measures The primary study outcome was the determination of the most frequent insertion of uncinate process in the northeast Mexican population. Results The 149 CT scans comprised71 females with a mean age of 38.28 ± 16.7 years and 78 males, with a mean age of 41.8 ± 15.01 years. The most frequent uncinate process of superior attachment was type one, observed in 57.7% of males (n=45) and 50.7% of females (n=37) (p=0.494). Type onewas most observed on the right side (57.7%). Type four was the second most common type, present in 12.8% of males (n=10) and 12.7% of females (n=9) (p=0.82). Conclusion Knowledge about the types of variations in the insertion of the uncinate process is fundamental prior to any endoscopic sinus surgery. The surgeon must be familiar with this detail when approaching patients with sinonasal pathology.

Do children’s family drawings reflect adaptation in early years of elementary school?

The first elementary school years involve diverse, simultaneous developmental requirements in various domains that influence children’s future adaptation. The literature in art therapy has shown that children’s family drawings could be a valuable tool for learning about children’s internal world and adaptation. Therefore, the current study used children’s family drawings to assess children’s adaptation. Using the Main and Kaplan (1986) coding system to classify attachment representations, it examined children’s adjustment with different attachment classifications derived from their family drawings in a sample of 136 Israeli triads composed of young elementary school children, their mothers, and their fathers. Each drawing was coded into one of four attachment classifications based on global scales and detailed markers, such as the completeness of figures, facial expression, size, and degree of movement. Children whose drawings represented secure attachment exhibited the highest psychosocial functioning. Children whose drawings were ambivalent and disorganized showed the most salient adjustment difficulties, while those classified as representing avoidant attachment functioned relatively well. These results add to the accumulated findings in this area, pointing to the potential value of using family drawings to assess young elementary school-age children’s adaptation.

Attachment Stability and Longitudinal Prediction of Psychotic-like Symptoms in Community Adolescents over Four Months of COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: The Friends and Family Interview (FFI) is assumed to be a valid method to study attachment stability and attachment-related psychopathological processes in adolescence, but no studies have yet tested the test-retest reliability of this interview or the longitudinal association of attachment patterns in response to the FFI from adolescents with symptoms such as psychotic-like experiences (e.g., hallucinations, bizarre behavior, dissociation, self-harm) that are known to have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This study involved 102 community adolescents (M = 14.64, SD = 1.63, 46% males) assessed twice: during a severe COVID-19-related lockdown (in Italy) (T1) and four months later (T2). Measures were the FFI (assessing attachment patterns: secure-autonomous, insecure-dismissing, insecure-preoccupied, and insecure-disorganized) and the thought problems scale of the Youth Self-Report to assess psychotic-like symptoms. Results: revealed high stability of four-way attachment classifications over four months (93.5%), with a modest yet significant link between higher disorganization at T1 and higher scores of thought problems at T2, p = 0.010. Conclusions: The FFI shows high test-retest reliability and can be a valid, age-adapted option to assess adolescents' attachment. Attachment disorganization should be further investigated as possibly related to psychotic-like experiences in community adolescents.

The experience of closeness and distance in the therapeutic relationship of patients with different attachment classifications: an exploration of prototypical cases.

Individuals with different attachment classifications (Secure, Avoidant and Preoccupied) may experience emotional closeness differently, in their intimate relationships but also as clients in psychotherapy. However, evidence for this assumption almost exclusively comes from research with self-report questionnaires. In this paper, we use observer-rated measures to explore in depth how patients with different attachment classifications experience closeness and distance from the therapist in different phases of therapy. Three patients' and their therapists' narratives about the therapeutic relationship at three time points during therapy were extracted and analyzed with two transcript-based observational measures: The Patient Attachment Coding System (PACS), which classifies patients' attachment according to their discourse behavior, and the therapeutic-Distance Scale-Observer version (TDS-O), which assesses the therapeutic relationship in terms of closeness, distance, autonomy and engagement. Cases were chosen from a larger research project due to their different prototypical attachment classification on the PACS. The narratives were obtained from Relationship Anecdote Paradigm (RAP) interviews in which the patients and their therapists narrated separately about meaningful interactions with each other, at early, middle and late phases of therapy. In addition, we followed patients self-report of the alliance and symptoms (OQ-45). Although all patients reported experiencing discomfort with feeling distant from the therapist the therapeutic distance, the secure patient was able to reflect on his feelings and, in the therapist's recollection, was able to share them with the therapist. This allowed the therapist to harness these feelings for the benefit of the therapy. The avoidant and the preoccupied patients both experienced the therapist as distant, but the avoidant patient prevented closeness by a minimal expression of feelings, and the preoccupied described strong frustration with the therapist in a one-sided manner that prevented collaborative processing and left the therapist confused. It appears that patient discourse is a stable (trait-like) component of attachment, while the therapeutic-distance is a process (state-like) component that may change along therapy. The discourse of insecure patients may hinder therapists' ability to adjust the therapeutic-distance to patients' needs. Therapists' knowledge about the ways patients with different attachment classifications communicate their proximity wishes may improve their attunement.

Do Turkish mothers’ emotion regulation, psychological symptoms and caregiving helplessness vary based on attachment states of mind?

ABSTRACT Mothers’ emotion regulation, mental health, and feeling of helplessness in caring for their child may vary based on maternal attachment classifications. Particularly, insecure attachment and unresolved state of mind can act as risk factors. Therefore, we examined how emotion regulation strategies of suppression and cognitive reappraisal, maternal symptoms of depression and anxiety, and caregiving helplessness differ based on maternal attachment classifications in the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI). Fifty mothers of children in the early childhood (AgeRange = 12-56 months) completed a pack of questionnaires, including Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, Brief Symptom Inventory, and Caregiving Helplessness Questionnaire. Then AAI interview protocol was administered and coded. Mothers did not vary in emotion regulation strategies, indicating emotion regulation balance. However, mothers with secure/autonomous AAIs reported less anxiety than mothers whose AAIs were judged to show unresolved loss or unresolved trauma. The mothers who provided AAIs judged to be secure/autonomous scored lower in depression and caregiving helplessness than mothers whose AAIs were judged to show unresolved loss or unresolved trauma. To our knowledge, this is one of the first studies conducting AAI in Turkish mothers. We revealed the critical role of secure attachment for mental health and caregiving helplessness that can facilitate interventions targeting maternal attachment mind state.