Avoidant Attachment Style Research Articles

Autonomic response and attachment style in disruptive mood dysregulation disorder

Background: Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) is characterised by severe emotion regulation difficulties, particularly anger and irritability, in children. Despite the impact of attachment on emotional and behavioural regulation, the link between attachment style and DMDD is under-researched.Aim: This study investigated whether attachment style and parasympathetic regulation differentiate the response profiles to frustrating conditions between children diagnosed with DMDD and controls.Setting: Participants were assessed at schools in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.Methods: Thirty participants were divided into two matched groups (nDMDD = 15; nControl = 15) and assessed. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and heart period were measured during an Affective Posner Task, inducing frustration. Attachment style was assessed using the Attachment Style Classification Questionnaire for children. Parents of children with DMDD completed a social interaction problems questionnaire.Results: The DMDD group showed a higher prevalence of avoidant attachment style (p = 0.013) compared to controls. Both groups displayed adaptive vagal withdrawal and recovery during the task (p = 0.005; p = 0.021). Controls had significantly higher heart period throughout the assessment (game 1: p = 0.006; game 2: p = 0.013; game 3: p = 0.007). In the DMDD group, lower vagal tone during frustration correlated with more social interaction problems (p = 0.049).Conclusion: The study demonstrates a potential link between attachment style and altered physiological state in children with DMDD.Contribution: The findings provide insight into possible atypical vagal regulation of the heart and avoidant attachment styles in DMDD, highlighting potential therapeutic and intervention targets.

Insecure attachment styles in adolescents at risk for eating disorders.

The present study examines insecure attachment styles in female adolescents, who are at risk for developing eating disorders. A second goal was to investigate whether attachment styles differentiate between high risk for anorexia and high risk for bulimia. A total of 150 adolescents were divided into four risk groups: High risk for anorexia, high risk for bulimia, medium risk and control group. The attachment styles were assessed using the Experience in Close Relationships Scale and the Relationship Questionnaire. Anxiety Attachment, but not Avoidance Attachment, was found to characterize those adolescents who are at risk for ED (AN + BN), and especially for those at high-risk for BN. The present results do not support the notion of an avoidance of emotional intimacy, characterizing the avoidant attachment style of those presenting with AN. Preoccupied Attachment style was found to characterize high-risk for BN, but not high-risk for AN, while the Insecure, Fearful, and Dismissing Attachment types did not differentiate between these two high-risk groups. This study highlights the dominant attachment style in adolescents at high risk for developing ED: The Anxiety Attachment style for AN and BN, and the Preoccupied Attachment style for BN but not for AN.

The relationship between intimate partner violence and parenting styles with mediated attachment styles in Iranian women

PurposeThe primary aim of this study was to investigate the role of attachment styles as intermediaries in the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) and parenting styles among Iranian women.MethodsData for this study was collected between September and December 2020. The participants consisted of 102 women who had been referred to Social Emergency Centers in Isfahan due to their experiences with domestic violence. Participants filled out the Haj-Yahia Violence Questionnaire, Baumrind Parenting Styles Questionnaire (BPSQ), and the Attachment Styles Questionnaire (AAQ). To examine the hypothesized relationships, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used.ResultsEconomic IPV victimization was negatively related to secure attachment (β = − 0.309, p = 0.019) and positively related with authoritative parenting (β = 0.422, p = 0.019) and avoidant attachment style (β = 0.563, p = 0.000). There was a significant, positive relationship between sexual IPV victimization with secure and avoidant attachment styles (β = 0.351, p = 0.011; β = 0.407, p = 0.000). Authoritative parenting style was related to avoidant attachment (β = − 0.524, p = 0.015) and secure attachment (β = 0.371, p = 0.000).ConclusionsIranian IPV victims with secure attachment style were more likely to utilize authoritative parenting and those who have avoidant attachment were less likely to use authoritative parenting. Attachment styles may influence the relationship between IPV and parenting styles in Iranian women who have experienced IPV.

The Relationship Between Attachment Styles and Marital Satisfaction: The Mediating Role of Positive Relational Behaviors

This study aimed to investigate the association between individuals’ attachment styles and their marital satisfaction through positive relational behaviors (PRBs). This was a correlational study of structural equation modeling (SEM). Out of all married students of Bu-Ali Sina University. A total of 261 (69 men and 192 women) filled out our questionnaires. The results from SEM indicated that the hypothesized model in this study had a good fit with the study sample. The secure attachment style demonstrated a significant positive relationship with marital satisfaction through PRBs, while the ambivalent and avoidant attachment styles exhibited a negative association with marital satisfaction through PRBs.

Sharing Your Husband: Adult Attachment Styles and Emotional Responses of Israeli Bedouin-Arab Women to Potential Polygynous Marriage.

Polygynous marriage is prevalent among Israel's Bedouin-Arab community, despite being explicitly banned by state law. Cultural traditions and customs permit men to take multiple wives, and Islamic teachings do not prohibit the practice. The impact of polygyny is significant, affecting women, children, and society as a whole in various ways. We examined the connections that attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance had with hypothetical responses to the potential threat of polygynous marriages in a community sample of young unmarried Israeli Bedouin-Arab women (n = 306). Participants were randomly assigned to imagine either a high-threat scenario (i.e., finding that their husband decided to take a second wife; n = 151) or a low-threat scenario (i.e., their husband would not decide to take a second wife; n = 155) and report their anticipated responses to these scenarios. Results showed that attachment anxiety was positively associated with anticipated negative emotional responses in the high-threat condition but not in the low-threat condition. However, neither attachment anxiety nor attachment avoidance were associated with the perceived threat of polygyny to their marriage. The findings of this study suggest that attachment styles play a significant role in shaping women's perceptions and reactions to hypothetical polygynous marriages. Women with anxious attachment styles are more likely to experience intensified negative emotions regarding such marriages, while those with avoidant attachment styles may display greater tolerance toward polygyny. These results highlight the need for tailored interventions and support systems that take into account individual psychological profiles as well as the broader cultural context of Israeli Bedouin-Arab society.

Comparison of State-Trait Anxiety and Fear of Childbirth According to Attachment Styles of Pregnant Women.

Fear of childbirth (FoC) and its extreme form, tokophobia, is a clinical condition that can lead to many negative consequences, and its importance is increasingly understood. This article aims to assess the severity of FoC and anxiety levels according to different attachment styles and to investigate the relationships between these factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a state hospital in the largest city in Turkey. Three hundred pregnant women attending the Antenatal Outpatient Clinic were included. A sociodemographic questionnaire, Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire-version-A (W-DEQ), Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Adult Attachment Style Scale were administered. 8.1% of participants had tokophobia (W-DEQ sum score ≥85). FoC was significantly higher in pregnant women who had a history of pregnancy loss and past psychiatric history. For multiparous women, adverse birth outcomes were also associated with higher FoC. State and trait anxiety were positively correlated with FoC levels. Regarding the attachment patterns, pregnant women with avoidant attachment styles presented with higher levels of FoC than those with secure attachment styles. In logistic regression analysis, higher anxiety levels, adverse birth outcomes, and insecure attachment styles were found to predict severe and clinical FoC. FoC has a considerable effect on pregnant women, albeit at different clinical levels. Adverse birth outcomes, high anxiety levels, and insecure attachment styles were associated with higher FoC. Therefore, antenatal patients with adverse birth outcomes and higher anxiety levels, which are risk factors for FoC, should be carefully evaluated in terms of tokophobia and referred to mental health professionals when necessary.

Difficulties in emotion regulation and attachment styles among Kurdish individuals in Eastern Turkey with substances use disorders

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between attachment style and emotion dysregulation in Kurdish individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) in Eastern Turkey, a non-Western, Islamic society, in a descriptive cross-sectional design. This study was conducted with 216 individuals with SUDs who were treated at the SBU Van Training and Research Hospital Alcohol and Substance Addiction Treatment Center in Eastern Turkey between April 2023 and June 2023. Almost half of the participants (44.5%, n = 96) were between 18 and 30 years old and almost all were men (96.3%, n = 208). The most commonly used substances were heroin (46.3%, n = 100), marijuana (28.7%, n = 62) and synthetic cannabinoids (7.9%, n = 12). The results showed that higher levels of emotion dysregulation were associated with increased avoidant attachment and anxious attachment style. The study found that anxious and avoidant attachment styles were a significant predictor of emotion dysregulation. These findings suggest that attachment styles may play an important role in emotion dysregulation in Kurdish individuals with SUDs. Future research should investigate whether interventions targeting attachment-based interventions could be effective in reducing emotion dysregulation in Kurdish individuals with SUDs.

Family Attachment and Its Influence on Adult Resilience: A Cross-Sectional Ex Post Facto Investigation

This study examines the relationship between early family attachment and resilience in adulthood, yielding significant theoretical implications for extending attachment theory. The regression analysis demonstrates that anxious and avoidant attachment styles are significant negative predictors of resilience, collectively accounting for 99.9% of its variability. The model exhibits excellent fit and high significance, as evidenced by the F-value. Secure attachment shows the highest positive association with resilience (B = 29.94), while avoidant (B = -5.937) and anxious (B = -23.937) attachment styles are negatively associated with resilience. The theoretical implications highlight the importance of considering attachment theory in the context of adult resilience and suggest avenues for future research to explore interventions that can mitigate the negative effects of insecure attachment styles. Therefore, this study concludes that enhancing secure attachment in early family relationships may be a key strategy in promoting resilience in adulthood, offering valuable insights for both clinical practice and educational interventions.

Predicting relationship outcomes from rejection sensitivity in romantic couples: testing actor and partner effects

This study sought to test actor and partner effects of rejection sensitivity on romantic relationship outcomes. In total, 200 participants (100 mixed-sex couples; mean age = 36.17 ± 11.11 years) completed questionnaire measures at a single timepoint. After controlling for participant age and relationship duration, results showed that personal rejection sensitivity, but not partner rejection sensitivity, predicted self-report relationship outcomes for both men and women. Higher levels of rejection sensitivity were associated with lower levels of relationship satisfaction and relationship commitment, and higher levels of jealousy and self-silencing behaviour. Rejection sensitivity was unrelated to relationship investment. Multiple mediation models further demonstrated that anxious and avoidant attachment styles mediated associations between rejection sensitivity and relationship outcomes. Analyses of couple similarity in rejection sensitivity showed that couples report worse relationship outcomes when both partners score high on rejection sensitivity. Overall, the study provides evidence that rejection sensitivity has an important role in relationship outcomes among couples. Creating awareness of the role of rejection sensitivity in relationship outcomes might be a useful approach to improving relationship quality.

The need for affiliation and depression amidst the post-acute pandemic: The mediation of self-esteem and moderation of insecure attachment among university students

The study investigated the connection between the need for affiliation and depression in Chinese university students, considering the mediating role of self-esteem and the moderating effect of insecure attachment (both anxious and avoidant). Involving 804 students from two Chinese universities, participants provided self-reports on affiliation desire, self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and assessments of insecure attachment. The findings revealed that self-esteem partially mediated the relationship between the need for affiliation and depression. Both anxious and avoidant attachment styles moderated the connection between self-esteem and depression. A simple slopes analysis showed that high anxious attachment intensified the link between low self-esteem and high depression. Similarly, high avoidant attachment exacerbated the association between low self-esteem and higher levels of depression. The implications of these findings were discussed, emphasizing their significance for mental health support and interventions targeting university students.

Neural correlates of distress and comfort in individuals with avoidant, anxious and secure attachment style: an fMRI study

ABSTRACT Despite a growing literature, experiments directly related to attachment are still needed. We explored brain processes involved in two aspects of attachment, distress and comfort. Seventy-eight healthy adult males with different attachment styles (secure, avoidant, and anxious) viewed distress, comfort, complicity-joy and neutral images (picture database BAPS-Adult) in an fMRI block design. ROIs from the modules described in the functional Neuro-Anatomical Model of Attachment (Long et al. 2020) were studied. Secure participants used more co- and self-regulation strategies and exhibited a higher activation of the reward network in distress and comfort viewing, than insecure participants. Avoidant participants showed the lower brain activations. Their approach and reward modules were the least activated in distress and comfort. Anxious participants presented both higher activations of the approach and aversion modules during complicity-joy. In addition, comfort and complicity-joy were processed differently according to attachment styles and should be differentiated among positive stimuli to disentangle attachment processes.

Predicting Therapeutic Alliance: Supervisory Alliance and Supervisee’s Attachment Style

The aim of this study was to investigate how attachment styles and supervisory alliance predict the therapeutic alliance. Data was collected using The Therapeutic Alliance Scale, the Working Alliance Inventory: Trainee Form, and Attachment Styles in Interpersonal Relationships Scale. The study administered measuring instruments to 361 undergraduate counseling students (i.e., supervisees) from seven different state universities who had completed at least three counseling and supervision sessions. The data was analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient and Multiple Linear Regression analysis methods. The findings revealed that supervisees’ secure attachment styles positively and significantly predicted the therapeutic alliance. While the anxious-preoccupied attachment style did not significantly predict the goal and task sub-dimensions of the therapeutic alliance, it did significantly predict the bond sub-dimension and the total score of the therapeutic alliance. In contrast, the avoidant attachment style only significantly predicted the bond sub-dimension of the therapeutic alliance. Furthermore, the supervisory alliance was significantly predictor for all dimensions of the therapeutic alliance, as well as the total score.

Attachment as the Catalyst for the Attribution of Complex Cognition and Emotion to Companion Cats.

Companion cat caregivers ascribe complex emotions and cognitions to their cats, and these attributions are greater with a stronger attachment to their animals. We compared attributions of emotional and cognitive complexity to cats in cat caregivers and non-caregivers. We measured attitudes toward animals, belief in animal minds, caregivers' strength of attachment, and attachment style with a particular companion cat in 448 university students, of whom 251 had owned a cat. We asked the extent to which respondents thought that cats were capable of expressing primary and secondary emotions and cognitive capabilities. Caregivers significantly differed from non-caregivers only in the attribution of primary emotions. Belief in animal minds predicted the attribution of secondary emotions and cognition. For caregivers only, avoidant attachment style was negatively associated with the attribution of primary emotions, whereas attachment strength was positively associated with the attribution of secondary emotions and cognition. These abilities may have greater discriminatory power as most respondents ascribe primary emotions to cats, perhaps for anthropomorphic reasons. Housing conditions (indoor and outdoor) were not associated with attributions, suggesting that bonds are more important than time spent together within the home in predicting the attribution of emotional and cognitive complexity in cats.

How we get along depends on how you make me feel: An episodic perspective on leader–follower emotional entrainment and daily interaction quality

AbstractLeader–follower relationships are a cornerstone of leadership research. Considering recent developments that point to emotions as key determinants of dyadic relationships, we shift the focus of this literature to the episodic interplay of leader emotional expressions and follower emotional reactions for the emergence of high‐quality interactions. Specifically, we develop an emotional entrainment perspective stating that the trajectory of leader emotional expressions and corresponding follower emotional reactions over the course of a day gives rise to follower perceptions of their interaction quality with their leader. We glean additional insights by examining follower attachment styles as a moderator. Results of an experience sampling study (Nemployees = 72, Ndays = 479) demonstrate that emotional entrainment of high‐activated emotions (joy and fear) predicts end‐of‐day interaction quality contingent on followers' (avoidant and anxious) attachment styles. Future avenues for research on the emergence of high‐quality leader–follower relationships are discussed.

Mediation role of interpersonal problems between insecure attachment and eating disorder psychopathology

PurposeAlthough insecure attachment and interpersonal problems have been acknowledged as risk and maintaining factors of eating disorders (EDs), the mediating role of interpersonal problems between attachment style and ED psychopathology has been poorly explored. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mediating role of interpersonal problems between insecure attachment and ED psychopathology.MethodsOne-hundred-nine women with anorexia nervosa and 157 women with bulimia nervosa filled in the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2) and the Experiences in Close Relationships (ECR) revised scale to assess ED core symptoms and attachment styles, respectively. Interpersonal difficulties were evaluated by the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP-32). A mediator’s path model was conducted with anxious and avoidant attachment subscores as independent variables, ED core symptoms as dependent variables and interpersonal difficulties as mediators. The diagnosis was entered in the model as a confounding factor.ResultsThe socially inhibited/avoidant interpersonal dimension was a mediator between avoidant attachment and the drive to thinness as well as between avoidant attachment and body dissatisfaction. An indirect connection was found between attachment-related anxiety and bulimic symptoms through the mediation of intrusive/needy score.ConclusionsSocial avoidance and intrusiveness mediate the relationships between avoidant and anxious attachment styles and ED psychopathology. These interpersonal problems may represent specific targets for psychotherapeutic treatments in individuals with EDs and insecure attachment.Level of evidenceLevel III: Evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case–control analytic studies.

What Psychological Structures Can Support the Satisfaction of Basic Psychological Needs? Attachment Styles, Childhood Maltreatment Experiences, and the Role of Interpersonal Communication Competence

This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the relationships between basic psychological needs, attachment styles, childhood maltreatment experiences, and interpersonal communication competence. The study group consisted of 283 university students. The Need Satisfaction Scale, Three-Dimensional Attachment Styles Scale, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, and Interpersonal Communication Competence Inventory were used as measurement tools. According to the correlation analysis findings, need satisfaction was associated with anxious-ambivalent attachment style, avoidant attachment style, physical abuse, emotional abuse, listening skills, social relaxation skills, and expressive skills. The hierarchical regression model included attachment styles in the first step, childhood maltreatment experiences in the second step, and interpersonal communication competence in the third step. Regression analysis results revealed that anxious-ambivalent attachment style, emotional abuse, listening skill, social relaxation skill, and expressive skill accounted for 40.3% of the total variance of need satisfaction. In line with the hierarchical regression analysis findings, it can be stated that the variable with the most robust predictive role is emotional abuse among childhood maltreatment experiences. The present study provides findings that early experiences and communication competence, which can be affected by these experiences, are essential factors in meeting basic psychological needs. Therefore, the results of the study may be effective in psychological interventions that focus on meeting basic psychological needs.

A relational perspective on how and when follower attachment style impacts job performance: The moderating role of leader neuroticism

AbstractWe integrate insights from attachment theory and relational leadership to develop a novel interpersonal explanation of why, how and when followers' attachment anxiety and avoidance impact performance. Drawing on the attachment system dynamics model, we posit that attachment avoidance will be negatively related to LMX quality, whereas attachment anxiety will be positively related to LMX ambivalence. Furthermore, we predict that followers' anxious (and avoidant) attachment styles will interact with leader neuroticism leading to a hyperactivation (deactivation) of the attachment system, manifesting in greater LMX ambivalence (and lower LMX quality). Across three studies, we found consistent evidence for a positive relationship between follower attachment anxiety and LMX ambivalence, as well as an indirect effect between attachment anxiety and job performance. Leader neuroticism was especially likely to induce LMX ambivalence and, in turn, undermine job performance in anxiously attached followers. Attachment avoidance, although unaffected by leader neuroticism, was negatively related to LMX quality across all three studies and demonstrated an indirect effect on job performance in Study 3. Overall, our findings shed light on the unique explanatory power of relational mechanisms, beyond previously examined intrapersonal mechanisms, for understanding the attachment style–performance relationship as well as the role that leader characteristics play in triggering the attachment system in anxious followers.

Relational aggression in romantic relationship: empirical evidence among young female adults in Malaysia

BackgroundAggressive behaviour in romantic relationship is a social problem of great concern. Studies related to the influence of psychosocial factors on relational aggression are still limited. Furthermore, these factors have not been widely studied in the local context, resulting in the issue of relational aggression among young female adults still not being addressed. This study aims to explore whether psychosocial factors such as big five personality traits, adult attachment style and loneliness could predict relational aggression in romantic relationships among young female adults in Malaysia. In addition, this study aims to identify the moderating effect of social support in the relationship between psychosocial factors and relational aggression in romantic relationship.MethodsA quantitative research approach was used with 424 young female adults in Malaysia aged between 18 and 30 years old (mean age = 24.18) were recruited through multistage sampling design by completing a questionnaire consisting of the Big Five Inventory (BFI), Experiences in Close Relationships Scale II (ECRS-II), Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale, Measure of Relational Aggression and Victimization (MRAV) and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS).ResultsMultiple regression analysis predicted significant relationship between agreeableness personality, loneliness, avoidant attachment style and anxious attachment style with relational aggression in romantic relationships. Hierarchical regression analysis found a significant effect of social support as a moderator between loneliness with relational aggression in romantic relationships.ConclusionsThus, the results show that young female adults with low level of agreeableness, high level of loneliness, avoidant attachment style and anxious attachment style are at a higher risk of engaging in relational aggression in romantic relationships. The implication of this study can help in understanding the psychosocial factors that form the basis of relational aggression in romantic relationships. Hence, the gap in knowledge warrants further research.

Child maltreatment perpetration in Sarawak: predictors from the perpetrators’ perspective

ABSTRACT Child maltreatment, which encompasses harmful behaviour such as physical, sexual, psychological, and neglect, remains a global concern. In global efforts to prevent violence against women and girls, a strategic shift has emerged to actively engage men as key stakeholders. There is a growing recognition that men must be placed at the centre of these efforts. This study aimed to determine the predictors of child maltreatment perpetration in Sarawak based on retrospective recall of men’s childhood adversities, men’s gender roles, men’s attitudes, and men’s attachment styles. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Sarawak, Malaysia, from August 2022 to January 2023. The research used multistage cluster sampling to recruit 800 married men. The study findings showed 33.6% of the men admitted to having perpetrated one or more different forms of maltreatment on their children. Neglectful behaviours were the most prevalent with 27.3%, followed by physical and psychological perpetration. Through hierarchical logistic regression, men’s childhood adversities were a critical predictor (AOR = 1.0, 95% CI: .1.0, 1.1, p < .001). Men with avoidant attachment styles were less likely to admit to perpetration (AOR = 0.5, 95% CI:0.3, 0,8, p = .002). In conclusion, this study emphasises the need for prevention activities like childhood adversities screening among men to improve their well-being and help them heal from past trauma.

Adult Attachment Styles and Conflict Resolution Strategies Among Romantic Relationships

Abstract: To assess the relationship between Adult attachment styles and Conflict resolution strategies among romantic relationships, a correlational design was used. Responses were collected from 121 individuals, out of which 113 responses were selected and the rest 8 responses had to be eliminated due to not meeting the cut-off scores. Conflict Resolution Inventory-Self Version (CRSI-Self) scale and 36-item Experience in Close Relationships-Revised Questionnaire (ECR – RQ) scale were used. To analyze the collected data, Spearman Correlation and Mann Whitney U-test was used. The results showed significant differences between the two groups in avoidant attachment styles and acceptance styles in conflict resolution strategies. The study found a positive relationship between anxious attachment style and conflict engagement, self-protection, and acceptance, while a weak negative relationship existed between anxious and positive problem-solving styles. K