Close Relationships Questionnaire Research Articles

Meditation Moderates the Relationship between Insecure Attachment and Loneliness: A Study of Long-Term Care Residents in Thailand.

Background and Objectives: Loneliness is prevalent among residents of long-term care settings, posing significant challenges to their mental wellbeing. Insecure attachment has been identified as a contributing factor to loneliness in this population. Previous research has suggested that meditation may have beneficial effects on mental health outcomes. This study aimed to examine the relationship between meditation, insecure attachment, and loneliness among residents of long-term care facilities in Thailand. Specifically, the study sought to investigate the moderating effect of meditation on the association between insecure attachment (both avoidance and anxiety) and loneliness. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 236 residents living in long-term care homes in Thailand. Participants completed self-report measures including the 18-item Revised Experience of Close Relationship questionnaire (to assess attachment anxiety and avoidance), the Inner Strength-Based Inventory (to measure meditation practice), and the 6-item Revised Version of the University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale. Moderation analyses were performed to explore the role of meditation in the relationship between insecure attachment and loneliness. Results: The mean age of participants was 73.52 years, with females accounting for 57.6% of the sample. Among the participants, 58.4% reported engaging in meditation, with practice frequency ranging from often to daily. The mean meditation score was 2.92 out of 5, indicating regular but not daily practice. Meditation was found to moderate the relationship between insecure attachment (both avoidance and anxiety) and loneliness. Specifically, the moderation effect between attachment anxiety and loneliness was significant (B = 0.44, SE = 0.21, 95% CI [0.30, 0.86]), as was the interaction effect between attachment anxiety and loneliness (B = -0.34, SE = 0.17, 95% CI [-0.67, -0.02]). Conclusions: The findings suggest that the impact of meditation practice on loneliness is influenced by an individual's attachment dimension. Meditation demonstrates a moderating effect on attachment avoidance, anxiety, and loneliness, with variations observed in the direction of these effects. The clinical implications of these findings and recommendations for further research are discussed.

Validation of a German version of the self-rating Adult Disorganized Attachment scale (ADA-D)

Disorganized attachment represents the greatest risk factor for psychopathology compared to the "organized" insecure attachment dimensions in various meta-analyses. Recently, the Adult Disorganized Attachment Scale (ADA) was developed as a self-rating scale for measuring disorganized attachment in romantic partnerships. However, a translation and evaluation in German-speaking samples is not yet available. A German Translation of the scale (ADA-D) comprising nine items was assessed in a general population sample (N=1101) and in a student sample (N=328). The factor structure, psychometric properties, and validity of the scale with respect to psychopathology and the Experiences in Close Relationships questionnaire (ECR-RD) were examined. The differential associations of ADA-D and ECR-RD with psychopathology were determined using linear regression models. The unidimensional factor structure of the original version could be confirmed for the ADA-D and the instrument exhibited high internal consistency (McDonalds ω=0.91 / 0.89). Compared to attachment anxiety and avoidance, ADA-D was the strongest predictor of dissociative symptoms (Sample 1: β=0.48; p<0.001; Sample 2: β=0.23; p<0.01) and, in Sample 1, additionally for physical aggression (β=0.37; p<0.001). The ADA-D exhibits good psychometric properties that are comparable to the original version of the scale. The associations with aggressiveness and dissociation are in line with previous findings regarding the unresolved attachment status in the Adult Attachment Interview. The ADA-D can be recommended for further use in research as a screening instrument for disorganized attachment in adulthood. An application in psychotherapeutic diagnostics seems promising, however, evaluations in clinical samples are necessary beforehand.

Emotional non-acceptance mediates the relationship between insecure attachment and specific psychopathology in women with eating disorders.

Insecure attachment is considered a general risk factor for eating disorders (ED). Emotion dysregulation has been proposed as one of the possible mechanisms by which attachment insecurity may affect ED psychopathology. Aim of the present study was to investigate whether difficulties in acceptance of emotions or emotional clarity may mediate the connection between insecure attachment and ED psychopathology. One hundred and twenty patients participated and completed the Italian version of Eating Disorder Inventory-2, Experience in Close Relationship questionnaire and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. A mediator path model was performed, in which insecure attachment dimensions were set as independent variables, ED specific psychopathology measures as dependent variables, and non-acceptance of emotion and lack of emotional clarity as mediators. The association between both attachment avoidance and anxiety and ED specific symptoms was mediated by emotional non-acceptance, but not by emotional clarity. This study showed the importance to address emotion regulation in individuals with ED, focussing on improving emotional acceptance. Exploring early developmental processes which lead to non-acceptance of emotions could improve this psychological trait in people with ED.

Foster parents’ history of adverse childhood experiences, adult attachment, and parenting stress

BackgroundConnections between parents’ trauma histories, adult attachment, and parenting stress are well established; those who have experienced trauma are more likely to have higher levels of insecure attachment (Jacobvitz & Reisz, 2019) and are more vulnerable to parenting stress (Steele et al., 2016) These processes in foster parents are understudied, even though they care for vulnerable children. This study examined relations between foster parents adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), adult attachment, and parenting stress. This is important to address because foster parents care for vulnerable children who can present unique stressors to caregivers. ObjectiveExamine links between ACEs, adult attachment, and parenting stress in foster parents. Participants & settingParticipants were 55 foster parents from central Texas, US, recruited from a larger RCT study. MethodsParticipants completed the ACEs questionnaire, Experiences in Close Relationships questionnaire, and Parenting Stress Inventory. ResultsFoster parents who reported higher total ACEs were more likely to report higher levels of attachment avoidance and higher levels of overall parenting stress. Foster parents who reported experiencing childhood emotional abuse reported higher levels of attachment anxiety. Those who reported experiencing childhood sexual abuse reported higher levels of parental distress. Lastly, those who reported higher levels of attachment anxiety reported higher levels of parental distress and defensive responding. ConclusionsACEs are an important factor for foster parents, particularly for parenting stress. It is crucial that appropriate support is provided to help foster parents manage parenting stress and provide optimal care for their foster children.

The relationship of the child’s externalizing and internalizing symptoms with the parent’s maladaptive schemas and attachment style

IntroductionAccording to recent studies, there is a relationship between the parent-child attachment style and the child’s externalizing and internalizing problems. However, the parent’s maladaptive schemas were not examined in this relationship before.ObjectivesWe aimed to examine the relationship between parents’ maladaptive schemas, well-being, their attachment to their child, and the parent’s perception of the child’s symptoms.MethodsIn our cross-sectional, non-clinical study, 442 parents of children between the ages of 22 and 57 completed the Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ), Experiences in Close Relationships Questionnaire (ECR), Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and WHO Well-being Questionnaire (WBI-5). We conducted four mediator analyses. We chose the emotional deprivation schema subscale as the independent variable and attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance subscales as mediators, while the models differed in the dependent variables. We chose the SDQ externalizing symptoms, internalizing symptoms, prosociality subscale, and WHO well-being questionnaire as dependent variables.ResultsThe mediation analyses proved to be significant. Emotional deprivation had significant effect on the parent’s attachment anxiety (a1 = 0.01, p &lt; .001), avoidance (a2 = 0.32, p = .002) and on the parent’s well-being (c1 = -0.12 , p &lt; .001), while emotional deprivation was not associated with externalizing symptoms (c2 = 0.002, p = .25), internalizing symptoms (c3 = 0.001, p = .53) and prosociality (c4 = 0.01, p = .26). However, the indirect effects of emotional deprivation through attachment anxiety were significant in case of internalizing symptoms (a1b5 = 0.03 [0.02 – 0.05), prosociality (a1b8 = -0.004 [-0.01 – -0.0002]) and well-being (a1b1 = -0.017 [-0.03 – -0.005]). Furthermore, the indirect effects of emotional deprivation through attachment avoidance were significant in case of internalizing symptoms (a2b6 = 0.009 [0.002 – 0.02]) and prosociality (a2b8 = -0.007 [-0.01 – -0.0002]). While the indirect effects of emotional deprivation through attachment anxiety (a1b3 = 0.007 [-0.001– 0,02]) and avoidance (a2b4 = 0.0001 [-0.006 – 0.006]) on externalizing symptoms were not significant. The indirect effects of emotional deprivation through attachment avoidance on the parent’s well-being were not significant (a2b2 = -0.002 [-0.01 – 0.006]).ConclusionsOur results - taking into account the limitations - suggest that there is a relationship between the parent’s emotional deprivation schema and the child’s internalizing symptoms, prosociality, and the parent’s well-being through the parent-child attachment pattern. Attachment style and maladaptive schema have no effect on externalizing symptoms. These results may also have practical implications.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ATTACHMENT, RELATIONSHIP QUALITY, AND DAILY STRESS AMONG DEMENTIA CAREGIVERS

Abstract The current study assesses the relationship between attachment style, relationship quality, and daily stress among family caregivers of persons with dementia. The study incorporates a longitudinal burst design. In an initial meeting with the investigator, participants completed measures of attachment style (Experiences in Close Relationships Questionnaire Revised), past and current relationship quality (RQ), emotion regulation (Emotion Regulation Questionnaire), and caregiver burden (Zarit Burden Interview). For the next 14 days, participants were sent a link to a brief survey that included the Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule and the Perceived Stress Scale. They were also asked to estimate what proportion of their daily stress did they attribute to caregiving. There are significant positive correlations between caregiver burden and current negative RQ, r = 0.70, p = .008, as well as between attachment anxiety and current negative RQ, r = 0.60, p = .029. According to regression analyses, attachment anxiety predicts negative current RQ, R2 = .37, F(1, 11) = 6.32, p = .029. Current negative RQ predicts caregiver burden, R2 = .49, F(1, 11) = 10.55, p = .008. Additional analyses will explore the link between attachment style, emotion regulation, burden, relationship quality, and longitudinal assessments of daily stress and affect. Though preliminary, study results suggest that beyond caregiver burden, daily stress and well-being of caregivers is impacted by the relationship between attachment, relationship quality, and emotion regulation.

Comparison of Attachment Problems in Romantic Relationships Between Individuals with Bipolar Diagnosis and Individuals Without a Known Psychiatric Diagnosis

Parenting Styles, Attachment Styles, Loneliness as a predictor of Relationship satisfactionAttachment is when one forms a deep and lasting emotional connection to one another across time and space. Attachment is not always mutual. It is also possible to connect to a person unrequitedly. The bond that an individual has with the people in his life is related to attachment styles in infancy. There has been postulation about the connection between bipolar and attachment problems, and several studies have been done on the relationship between anxiety, depression, and relationship satisfaction in general but due to the scarcity and unavailability of bipolar patients, few studies have been conducted. Hence this study aimed to examine the relationship between attachment styles, parenting styles, loneliness, and romantic relationship satisfaction among individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorders and people without the diagnosis. One hundred and sixty-nine people participated in this study. Parenting styles were examined using the Parenting Authority Questionnaire (PAQ), The Experience in Close Relationships questionnaire was used to evaluate the attachment style, UCLA Loneliness Scale measured loneliness and the Relationship Scales Questionnaire (RSQ) evaluated the relationship satisfaction. Results of the multiple regression showed that there was a collective significant relationship between, loneliness, attachment styles, and relationship satisfaction.Also, a significant negative relationship between Avoidance Attachment and romantic relationship satisfaction and also a significant negative relationship between Anxiety Attachment and romantic relationship satisfaction were found. But no significant relationship between parenting styles and romantic relationship satisfaction.

Experience of Childhood Bereavement and Current Attachment Style

Purpose: Previous research supports the idea that attachment style is closely associated to experience of bereavement, but the research investigating current attachment style and childhood experience of bereavement is lacking. This study aims to explore how experience of bereavement in childhood relates to current attachment style in adulthood and to utilize attachment theory in understanding the experience of bereavement during childhood. &#x0D; Methodology: Mixed method design was used to address the research objectives. This study was based on qualitative interview and a quantitative questionnaire. Twenty-four students from University of Bedfordshire were employed through purposive sampling to conduct semi-structured interviews. Experience in Close Relationships (ECR) questionnaire was used for quantitative assessment.&#x0D; Findings: The results of thematic analysis showed people with various attachment styles offered various accounts of their bereavement experience as children. This study offered proof that this was the case.&#x0D; Recommendations: It is suggested that this research can help us understand how children experience bereavement by illustrating how attachment theory might be used. This study may aid mental health practitioners in identifying some practical methods for assisting grieving individuals. The parent-child attachment bond approach among bereaved families may involve the appropriate bereavement counsellors and professionals. Bereavement experience during childhood links to adulthood attachment style. This study will contribute in developing the understanding of bereavement in children with attachment theory perspective.

Insecure attachment and PTSD: The mediating role of narcissistic traits

The purpose of the present study is to examine whether narcissism traits (i.e., narcissistic vulnerability and grandiosity) mediate the association between insecure attachment and PTSD symptoms, and whether this mediation is moderated by different levels of exposure to stress. Narcissistic vulnerability was expected to mediate the effect of attachment anxiety on PTSD symptoms. Narcissistic grandiosity was expected to mediate the effect of attachment avoidance on PTSD symptoms. Two hundred and thirty-six high school students from three different residential areas in Israel, differing in kind of exposure to terror (with constant warning, without constant warning and no exposure to terror), were administered the Experiences in Close Relationships Questionnaire (ECR-R). Two years later, shortly after a tense security time in Israel, participants were administered the Narcissistic Vulnerability Scale (NVS; measuring narcissistic grandiosity and narcissistic vulnerability), and the Post Traumatic Symptoms Checklist (PCL5). Narcissistic vulnerability mediated the association between attachment anxiety and PTSD symptoms. However, the direct association of narcissistic grandiosity and attachment avoidance was not significant. No moderated mediation was found for residential zones. The results contribute to a better understanding of the developmental risk factors underlying PTSD and extend the knowledge about the role that personality variables play in PTSD.

Childhood trauma and social cognition in participants with bipolar disorder: The moderating role of attachment

• Child traumas, attachment styles and social cognition were assessed in bipolar adults. • Participants were grouped: secure vs insecure (anxious, avoidant) attachment styles. • Participants with insecure attachment styles had more psychiatric hospitalizations. • Attachment anxiety was associated with childhood trauma but improved social cognition. • Social cognition in bipolar disorder is associated with the quality of early relational context. • Limitations include cross-sectional study design, use of self-report measures. Individuals with Bipolar Disorder (BD) present problems in Social Cognition (SC), a process associated with the quality of early attachment experiences. The experience of traumatic events in childhood threatens the quality of attachment. Attachment theory provides a comprehensive paradigm for understanding the role of early adversity on psychological functioning. However, early experiences have been largely neglected in BD research and clinical practice. We examined the moderating role of attachment in the relationship between childhood traumatic experiences and SC in a sample of 76 adults with BD. Early traumatic experiences were assessed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), SC was measured with the Hinting Task Test and attachment was examined using the Experience in Close Relationships questionnaire (ECR). Higher scores on attachment anxiety were positively associated with early traumatic events and better SC performance. Results suggest that attachment anxiety may be acting as an adaptive strategy in bipolar people who have suffered traumatic childhood experiences. The present study was observational and cross-sectional. Therefore, findings cannot be used to infer causality. Additionally, we assessed both attachment and trauma using self-report measures. Future studies should consider longitudinal designs with observer-rated measures such as standardized interviews. Our findings reinforce the importance of early childhood experiences in the development of SC in people with BD, challenging some traditional understandings of SC deficits as part of the genetic dimension of the disorder.

Factor Structure and Convergent Validity of the Short Version of the Bielefeld Partnership Expectations Questionnaire in Patients With Anxiety Disorder and Healthy Controls.

The short version of the Bielefeld Partnership Expectations Questionnaire (BPEQ-12) assesses the partner-related attachment dimensions fear of rejection, readiness for self-disclosure, and conscious need for care. The presented study investigated the factor structure in two samples and evaluated the convergent validity of scales. The sample included N = 175 patients with panic disorder and/or agoraphobia and N = 143 healthy controls. Besides, the BPEQ, the Experiences in Close Relationships Questionnaire (ECR), and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) were assessed as well, and the Adult Attachment Prototype Rating (AAPR) was conducted. A confirmatory factor analysis of the three factor model (using a WLSMV estimator) revealed an acceptable model fit for the entire sample, patients and controls in terms of low RMSEA and SRMR (< 0.08) and high CFI and TLI (> 0.95). We found metric, scalar, and strict measurement invariance for the presence of anxiety disorder (ΔCFI ≤ –0.01 and ΔRMSEA ≥ 0.01). However, only for fear of rejection and readiness for self-disclosure the reliability was acceptable (Cronbach’s α > 0.7), and convergent validity in terms of large correlations (r > 0.7) with the ECR scales was found in both samples. The scale conscious need for care had a questionable reliability (Cronbach’s α > 0.6) and correlated only slightly with ECR-R scales. We conclude that fear of rejection and readiness for self-disclosure of the BPEQ-12 are reliable and valid scales for measuring partner-related attachment in healthy and clinical samples.

Meditation and Five Precepts Mediate the Relationship between Attachment and Resilience.

Secure attachment is fundamental to the development of resilience among adolescents. The present study investigated whether meditation and precept practices influence the relationship between attachment and resilience. This study recruited 453 10th–12th-grade boarding school students who completed the Experience of Close Relationship Questionnaire (revised), Resilience Inventory, Inner Strength-Based Inventory, and Precept Practice to assess attachment, resilience, meditation practice, and precepts adherence. The participants’ mean age was 16.35 ± 0.96 years; 87.9% were females, and 89.2% were Buddhists. A parallel mediation model within the structural equation framework was used for an analysis of the indirect effect of attachment on resilience through meditation and precept practices. The indirect effects of attachment anxiety and avoidance on resilience were β = −0.086, 95% CI = −0.125, −0.054, p < 0.001, and β = −0.050, 95% CI = −0.088, −0.021, p = 0.006, respectively. The indirect effect size resulting from meditation was significantly higher than that resulting from observance of the precepts. The parallel mediation model explained the 33% variance of the resilience scores, compared with 23% from the direct effect of attachment anxiety and avoidance only. This work provides evidence that meditation and precepts significantly affect the relationship between attachment and resilience.

Roditeljske i neroditeljske figure privrženosti kao prediktori afektivnih stilova

Emotional regulation is one of the components of emotional intelligence that is very important for the development of the person and the quality of life in adulthood. Growing up, in a relationship with family, then with peers and finally with partners, we learn to regulate our emotional experiences and build characteristic affective styles. The aim of this paper is to examine whether there is an interdependence of figures of attachment in the prediction of affective styles in a sample of young adult girls who are currently in a partnership and those who are not (264 respondents). The instruments used were: Questionnaire for assessing partner, friend and family attachment - three versions (Kamenov, Jelić 2003). This questionnaire is a revised Croatian version of the ECR (Experience in Close Relationship Questionnaire) questionnaire (Brennan, Clark, Shaver 1998) and the ASQ Affective Style Questionnaire (Hofmann, Kashdan 2010). The connection between affective styles and attachment for all three examined figures was confirmed, as well as the predictive power of some dimensions of attachment in the explanation of affective styles. The initial hypotheses of this paper are only partially confirmed, but the results indicate important theoretical and practical implications that could be supplemented in future work. Attachment is obviously an important part in the space of emotion regulation, but it seems that the correlation is not direct and that there is an influence of many personal and situational variables that need to be researched in future

Adult attachment style and salivary alpha-amylase and emotional responses to a psychosocial stressor in women with eating disorders

BackgroundThe fine-tuning of the endogenous stress response system, which includes the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), is influenced by early attachment relationships. A higher prevalence of insecure attachment has been detected in people with eating disorders (EDs). Thus, we investigated the emotional and the SNS reactivity to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) in women with EDs in relation to their attachment profiles. MethodsFifty women with EDs and 20 healthy women participated into an experimental study. Attachment was evaluated by Experience in Close Relationship questionnaire. Salivary α-amylase (sAA) levels were measured to assess the SNS reactivity to TSST while the emotional response was measured by the STAI state scale. ResultsCompared to women with EDs and low attachment anxiety and healthy controls, women with EDs and high attachment anxiety showed lower TSST-induced sAA production without difference in anxiety scores. Women with EDs and high attachment avoidance showed similar sAA response to TSST but higher levels of anxiety scores compared to those with low attachment avoidance and healthy controls. ConclusionsOur findings corroborate the idea that adult attachment may be associated with variability in emotional and biological responses to a psychosocial stressor in women with EDs.

The Relationship Between Cognitive Abilities and Trait Clinical Features in Patients With Borderline Personality Disorder

Very few studies have focused on the relationship between cognitive functions and clinical features in borderline personality disorder (BPD). Subjects with BPD and healthy controls were administered the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status, Trail Making Test A and B, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. The Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-53) was used to assess the severity of current symptoms. Attachment style was assessed with the Experiences in Close Relationship Questionnaire, identity integration with the Personality Structure Questionnaire, and other domains of personality dysfunction with the RUDE Scale for Personality Dysfunction. Patients with BPD performed significantly worse than healthy controls in all cognitive domains. Cognitive functions, particularly delayed memory and visuospatial abilities, displayed meaningful associations with trait-like clinical features, above the effect of global cognition and state psychopathology. These findings highlight the need to evaluate effects of cognitive rehabilitation on trait features among individuals with BPD.

Validation of the Relationships Questionnaire (RQ) against the Experience of Close Relationship-Revised Questionnaire in a Clinical Psychiatric Sample.

Background: The Relationship Questionnaire (RQ) is a commonly used self-reporting questionnaire used to measure adult attachment styles. The RQ has two parts. RQ1, a single item where individuals have to indicate their preferred relationship style, and RQ2, where individuals can rate their relationship style in more detail using four different scales. Agreement is expected between the highest levels selected and the style chosen in RQ1. An advantage of the RQ is its brevity, whereas a disadvantage is that it constitutes a single item. A validation of RQ has not been clearly demonstrated, even though it has convergent validity in relation to other measurements in this area. Methods: 168 patients completed the RQ, the short version of the Experience in Close Relationships (Revised) questionnaire (ECR-R), and scales of depression and interpersonal problems. Regression analysis was conducted to examine the congruity in regard to attachment theory. Results: ratings from 15.5% of the patients showed disagreement between RQ1 and RQ2. Each type of attachment measured by the RQ was predicted by the ECR-R scores, as hypothesized. In the predictive analysis of depression and interpersonal problems, both RQ dimensions and ECR-R scores were coherent. Conclusions: RQ is a valid self-reported measurement that can be applied clinically on the condition that the rater identifies an agreement between RQ1 and RQ2.

The association between attachment pattern and depression severity in Thai depressed patients.

We aimed to study attachment patterns and their association with depression severity in Thai depressed patients. We conducted a descriptive study of depressed participants at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital from November 2013 to April 2014. The Thai Short Version of Revised Experience of Close Relationships Questionnaire and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) were administered to all participants. We assessed BDI-II scores, classified by attachment patterns, using one-way analyses of variance. The associated factors and predictors of depression severity were analysed by chi-square and logistic regression analyses, respectively. A total of 180 participants (75% female; mean age = 45.2 ± 14.3 years) were recruited. Dismissing attachment was the most common pattern in Thai depressed patients (36.1%). Depressed patients with preoccupied attachment demonstrated the highest BDI-II scores. The best predictor of moderate to severe depression severity was preoccupied/fearful attachment (odds ratio = 3.68; 95% confidence interval = 2.05-7.30). Anxious attachment was found to be associated with higher depression severity. Preoccupied/fearful attachment was the predictor of moderate to severe depression severity.

Attachment Anxiety Moderates the Association Between ADHD and Psychological Distress.

This study aims at examining the possible moderating role of attachment style in the association between ADHD and psychological distress, namely, anxiety and depression symptoms. Study included ninty nine participants: Sixty adults with ADHD diagnosis and thirty nine adults without ADHD or other neurological and/or psychiatric disorders. All participants completed the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), State-Trait Anxiety (STAI) questionnaires, Emotion in Close Relationships (ECR-R) questionnaire and Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale-Version 1.1 (ASRS-v1.1). Adults with ADHD had greater symptoms of depression (p < .001) and anxiety (p < .001) than adults without ADHD. Process analysis yielded that attachment anxiety moderated the association between ADHD, anxiety and depression, therefore only adults with ADHD that had moderate to high attachment anxiety exhibited higher levels of depression (p < .01) and anxiety (p < .001). No moderating effect was observed for attachment avoidance. Moreover, we did not find correlations between ADHD, anxiety and depression when secure attachment was the moderator; indicating that secure attachment could serve as a "protective factor" against psychological distress among ADHD individuals. Among anxiously attached adults, ADHD was associated with higher levels psychological distress. These findings highlight the important role of attachment style in mental health of adults with ADHD.

Close relationships in Parkinson´s disease patients with device-aided therapy.

ObjectivesDeep brain stimulation, continuous subcutaneous apomorphine infusion, and levodopa–carbidopa intestinal gel infusion, together called device‐aided therapies (DAT), are introduced when oral and transdermal pharmacotherapy are not enough for a satisfactory control of Parkinson's disease (PD) symptoms. Solid relationships are central to an individual's well‐being, but the impact of close relationships in advanced PD remains underexplored. The aim of this study was to investigate the development of close relationships between PD patients and their partners following the initiation of DAT and to examine the relationship structures in these relationships.Materials and MethodsThis was a retrospective quantitative multicenter pilot study wherein 41 couples, patients with advanced PD and their partners, retrospectively rated their relationship satisfaction before the start of DAT, after one year of DAT and at the time of the interview. The couples also answered the Experiences in Close Relationships—Questionnaire of Relational Structures (ECR‐RS).ResultsPartners more often report changes in relationship satisfaction than patients between baseline and both 1 year after start of DAT (p = .049) and last evaluation (p = .041). The ECR‐RS data reported significantly higher avoidance score for partners (p = .005) and significantly higher anxiety score for patients (p = .024).ConclusionsThe close relationship wherein one part has PD and receives DAT has a high risk of being unequal. Prospective studies are needed for further clarification of the interplay between advanced PD, DAT, and close relationships, this in order to improve pre‐ and postinterventional support for PD patients receiving DAT, as well as their partners.

Validation of the 14-item short form of the Slovak version of the Experiences in Close Relationships Revised Questionnaire

Aims. The attachment formed in early childhood affects an individual’s mental and physical health. The aim of the study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Slovak version of the ECR-R questionnaire designed to detect attachment in adulthood, to create a shorter version, and to examine the sociodemographic differences in anxiety and avoidance among Slovak respondents. Sample, settings, and methods. In a cross-sectional study with a representative sample of the adult Slovak population (N=1018, age 46.24, SD 16.56, 48.7% men), data were collected using the Slovak translation of the ECR-R questionnaire. The Slovak version of the Relationship Questionnaire (RQ) was used to assess the convergence validity. Results. The data of the psychometric analysis of the shortened version of the Close Relationship Questionnaire, the ECR-R-SK-14, indicate its better suitability for measuring relationship in adulthood compared to the ECR-R-16 version. Convergent validity was confirmed. Sociodemographic differences in individual groups of the Slovak population, which were expanded to include subjectively perceived loneliness in the last year of life, were described. Summary. The ECR-R questionnaire and its shorter version, the ECR-R-SK-14, are suitable tools for measuring relationships in adulthood, whether scientific or clinical. Limitations. The complete version of the ECR-R questionnaire can be difficult for some respondents to understand due to a large number of reversely formulated questions.