Insecure Adult Attachment Styles Research Articles

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

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

Do insecure adult attachment styles mediate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and violent behavior?

Attachment theory has played an important role in attempts to understand the "cycle of violence," where maltreated children are at increased risk for perpetrating violence later in life. However, little is known empirically about whether adult attachment insecurity in close relationships may partly explain the link between childhood maltreatment and violent behavior. This study aimed to address this gap using data from a prospective longitudinal study of documented childhood abuse and neglect cases and demographically matched controls (ages 0-11 years), who were followed into adulthood and interviewed (N = 892). Participants completed the Relationship Scales Questionnaire assessing adult attachment styles at mean age 39.54. Criminal arrest data were used to determine arrests for violence after the assessment of attachment through mean age 50.54. There were significant direct paths from childhood maltreatment and adult attachment insecurity to violent arrests after attachment measurement. Attachment insecurity partly explained the higher levels of violence in individuals with maltreatment histories. Analyses of maltreatment subtypes and attachment styles revealed that attachment anxiety appeared to mediate paths between neglect and physical abuse and later violence. There were no significant indirect paths from neglect or physical abuse to violence via attachment avoidance. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Differential Pathways from Child Maltreatment Types to Insecure Adult Attachment Styles via Psychological and Social Resources: A Bayesian Network Analysis.

Child maltreatment has been linked to insecure adult attachment. However, it is not yet clear how different child maltreatment types are associated with attachment-related anxiety and avoidance in adulthood; and whether resilience against these insecure attachment styles is dependent on risk-specific resources. Therefore, this study explored differential pathways from child maltreatment types to attachment-related anxiety and avoidance in adulthood and examined whether psychological resources (self-esteem) and social resources (perceived social support) show risk-specific effects. An online survey retrospectively assessed experiences of child maltreatment, the level of attachment-related anxiety and avoidance in adulthood, self-esteem, and perceived social support in N = 604 former members of fundamentalist Christian faith communities (mean age = 41.27 years, SD = 12.50; 65.90% female). Cross-sectional data was analyzed using Bayesian network analysis. Only emotional child maltreatment showed direct relationships to insecure adult attachment. Specifically, emotional abuse and emotional neglect were associated with anxious and avoidant adult attachment, respectively. The effects of other child abuse types on adult attachment were mediated through emotional abuse, which indicated patterns of complex traumatization. Self-esteem mediated the effect of emotional abuse on anxious attachment, while perceived social support mediated the effect of emotional neglect on avoidant attachment. Social support was also linked to self-esteem and was therefore also important for individuals with experiences of emotional abuse. This study showed that child maltreatment types and their interactions are meaningfully linked to attachment-related anxiety and avoidance in adulthood. Interventions for survivors of child maltreatment should focus on risk-specific resources to support their resilience.

Insecure Adult Attachment Style and PTSD Symptom Severity among Firefighters: The Role of Distress Tolerance

ABSTRACT Trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among firefighters are prevalent and well-documented. Insecure adult attachment style (AAS) and distress tolerance (DT) present two factors with demonstrated relevance to the etiology and maintenance of PTSD. Few studies have examined these constructs in relation to PTSD symptomatology among firefighter populations. The present investigation examined the indirect effect of insecure romantic AAS (i.e., anxious AAS, avoidant AAS) on PTSD symptom severity through DT among firefighters. Exploratory analyses examined this model with each of the PTSD symptom clusters as outcomes. The sample was comprised of 105 firefighters (Mage = 40.43, SD = 9.15, 95.2% male) recruited from various departments in the southern U.S. An indirect effect was calculated using 10,000 bootstrapped samples. Indirect effects models in the primary analyses were significant when both anxious AAS (β = .20, SE = .10, CI = .06-.43) and avoidant AAS (β = .28, SE = .12, CI = .08-.54) were evaluated as predictors. Effects were evident after accounting for gender, relationship status, years of fire service, and trauma load (i.e., number of potentially traumatic event types experienced). Exploratory analyses revealed that anxious and avoidant AAS are both indirectly related to the PTSD intrusion, negative alterations in cognitions and mood, and alterations in arousal and reactivity symptom clusters through DT. Anxious AAS also demonstrated an indirect association with PTSD avoidance symptoms through DT. Attachment styles may influence PTSD symptoms among firefighters through a firefighter’s perceived ability to withstand emotional distress. This line of inquiry has potential to inform specialized intervention programs for firefighters. Clinical and empirical implications are discussed.

Give yourself a break: Self-compassion mediates insecure attachment and divorce maladjustment among Iranian women

Research suggests that multiple psychological factors are associated with divorce adjustment (DA). However, the mechanisms by which these factors affect DA lack clarity. Accordingly, this study examined associations between attachment styles and divorce adjustment with self-compassion as a potential mediator. Cultural context of DA is considered. A total of 304 Iranian divorced women completed a series of self-rating questionnaires covering levels of adult attachment styles, self-compassion components, and indicators of divorce adjustment. Higher scores of attachment security and lower levels of attachment anxiety and avoidance were associated with higher levels of divorce adjustment and self-compassion, and higher levels of self-compassion were associated with better DA. Through Confirmatory Factor Analyses and Structural Equation Modeling, the trimmed model showed that self-compassion partially mediated attachment anxiety and fully mediated attachment avoidance as predictors of poorer divorce adjustment (or greater maladjustment, based on feelings of self-worth, grief, and self-anger subscales of DA). Self-compassion appears to be a key factor in how Iranian women adjusted to divorce, particularly those women with insecure adult attachment styles. Cultivating self-compassion could be an effective way to help counter negative attachment patterns. The role of Iranian cultural characteristics in perceptions and stress related to marriage and post-divorce adjustment is discussed.

Alexithymia, attachment security and negative mood

ABSTRACT Objective Alexithymia, a trait dimension defined by difficulties identifying and describing feelings and an externally oriented thinking style, is often associated with negative moods such as depression, anxiety and stress as well as an insecure adult attachment style. The present study evaluated the hypothesis that the link between alexithymia and negative moods is mediated by insecure attachment, which implies a lack of social resources for coping with distress. Method A nonclinical online community sample of 206 male and female young adults recruited from throughout Australia completed validated measures of alexithymia, attachment security and negative moods. Results In a hierarchical regression model with demographic variables and socially desirable responding at step 1, alexithymia at step 2 and insecure attachment at step 3, the final model accounted for 62.4% of variance in negative moods, with alexithymia and insecure attachment as significant predictors. Bootstrapped mediation modelling, controlling for demographic variables and socially desirable responding, indicated partial mediation of the association between alexithymia and negative moods by insecure attachment. Conclusions Results point to the role of insecure attachment in the negative moods often associated with alexithymia, presumably in addition to the deficient emotional self-regulation associated with alexithymia. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: Alexithymia is associated with negative moods and maladaptive coping. Alexithymia is associated with insecure adult attachment styles. Alexithymia is associated with loneliness and interpersonal difficulties.What this topic adds: Insecure attachment mediated the association of alexithymia with negative moods. This suggests the role of insecure attachment in negative moods associated with alexithymia. Therapy for alexithymic clients may thus benefit from targeting insecure attachment, but replication is needed in clinical samples.

A tangled start: The link between childhood maltreatment, psychopathology, and relationships in adulthood

BackgroundAdults with a history of childhood maltreatment are more likely to experience distrust, feel distant from others, and develop an insecure attachment style which may also affect relationship quality. Furthermore, childhood maltreatment has been linked to several mental health problems; including, depression, anxiety, and alcohol dependance severity, that are also known to relationship quality. ObjectiveThe current study was designed to investigate to what extent childhood maltreatment is associated with adult insecure attachment and intimate relationships and whether this association is mediated by psychopathology. Participants and MethodIn a study comprised of 2035 adults aged 18–65, we investigated whether childhood maltreatment was associated with insecure adult attachment styles and the quality of intimate relationships and whether this was mediated by depression, anxiety, and alcohol dependence severity (based on repeated assessments of the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self Report, Beck Anxiety Index, and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test respectively). ResultsThe path model showed an acceptable fit, RMSEA = 0.05, and suggested full mediation of the association of childhood maltreatment with quality of intimate relationships by depression severity and a) anxious attachment (β = −4.0 ∗ 10−2; 95% CI = −5.5 ∗ 10−2, −2.7 ∗ 10−2) and b) avoidant attachment (β = −7.2 ∗ 10−2; 95% CI = −9.6 ∗ 10−2, −4.9 ∗ 10−2). Anxiety and alcohol dependence severity were not significant mediators. Conclusions: Childhood maltreatment is associated with a lower quality of intimate relationships, which is fully mediated by depression severity and insecure attachment styles.

Adult attachment styles and emotional regulation: The role of interoceptive awareness and alexithymia

Attachment in adulthood is important for understanding how an individual will navigate their relationships, social behaviours, and affect regulation, although processes by which attachment contributes to emotional regulation is less known. The conscious perception and understanding of our internal bodily signals– classified as interoceptive awareness –, along with difficulties recognising and describing emotional experiences, known as alexithymia, are two constructs that may contribute to this process. The current study explored whether this interoceptive capability and alexithymia functioned as sequential mediators in the relationship between insecure adult attachment styles and emotional regulation. A convenience sample of 219 Australian adults completed an online survey comprised of a sociodemographic questionnaire and four standardised measures that assessed these aforementioned constructs. Results from bivariate correlations and serial mediation analyses found that anxious and avoidant adult attachment styles were negatively associated with the perception of bodily sensations and positively associated with difficulties identifying and describing feelings and regulating negative affect. Interoceptive awareness and alexithymia sequentially mediated the relationships between adult attachment dimensions and emotional regulation difficulties. These mind-body constructs may therefore represent processes by which attachment concerns contribute to emotional regulation difficulties, and should be considered when addressing emotional regulation difficulties in those with attachment concerns.

Insecure adult attachment style is associated with elevated psychological symptoms in early adjustment to severe burn: A cross-sectional study

Research into recovery and adjustment after burn injury has indicated a link between psychopathological symptoms including traumatic stress, distress, depression and anxiety, and worse psychosocial and physical outcomes. The severity of psychological symptoms does not always correlate with that of the burn injury, and symptoms can be ongoing in certain patients for extensive periods, leading to a need for early screening in burns patients for psychological vulnerabilities. One potential factor influencing recovery from the psychological impact of burn injury is adult attachment style, specifically secure and insecure attachment, as this describes how an individual organizes their stress regulation. This cross-sectional study measured: (a) attachment style (via the Relationship Questionnaire [RQ]): (b) negative psychological symptoms (via the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale [DASS]); and, (c) post-traumatic symptoms (via the Davidson Trauma Scale [DTS]) in a cohort of burns patients (n = 104, 51 analysed) in a severe burns unit in Australia during the acute phase of their recovery. Secure attachment style was inversely related to psychopathological symptoms. Secure participants scored significantly lower scores on the DASS (M = 17.63, SD = 17.07) compared to self-rated insecure participants [(M = 42.38, SD = 34.69), p < .01] and on the DTS (M = 14.22, SD = 15.42) compared to insecure participants [(M = 40.54, SD = 35.72), p < .01]. Similar results were found in analyses controlling for covariates of gender, age and burn severity as potential confounders. This research suggests attachment style may play an important role in psychosocial recovery from severe burn injury.

Sexual Assault Among College Students: Family of Origin Hostility, Attachment, and the Hook-Up Culture as Risk Factors

Sexual assault has been recognized as a major public health problem and social concern among college students for several decades. In response to the inadequacies of many universities to effectively address this problem, researchers, policy makers, and the public alike have recently called for greater attention to reducing the high rates of sexual violence against college women. The present study expands on the current literature by investigating familial, individual, and sociocultural risk factors for sexual assault. Specifically, we examine insecure adult attachment styles and the hook-up culture on college campuses as mediators in the relationship between family of origin aggression and sexual assault perpetration by men and victimization among women. Research questions were addressed with a sample of 624 college undergraduates (54 % women). Consistent with hypotheses, results of structural equation modeling indicated that an avoidant attachment style and participation in the hook-up culture accounted for the relationship between exposure to interparental hostility and sexual assault perpetration by men and victimization among women. Further, among women, an anxious attachment style accounted for the relationship between harsh parenting and victimization. These findings have important implications for future research, relationship education programs for parents and young adults, and preventative interventions. For example, parents can learn about the risks of exposing their offspring to hostility and aggression while adolescents and young adults may benefit from relationship education programs that help establish healthy working models of relationships.

Adult attachment style as a risk factor for maternal postnatal depression: a systematic review.

BackgroundPostnatal depression (PND) is an important health problem of global relevance for maternal health and impacts on the health and wellbeing of the child over the life-course. Multinational data is hard to locate, the economic burden of PND on health care systems have been calculated in several countries, including Canada and in the UK. In Canada, health and social care costs for a mother with PND were found to be just over twice that of mothers with no mental illness. The extra community care cost for women with PND living in the UK was found to be £35.7 million per year.MethodWe carried out a systematic search to the literature to investigate the associations between attachment style and PND, using meta-narrative analysis methods, reporting statistical data and life narratives. The following databases were searched: PsycInfo, PsycExtra Web of Science, The Cochrane Library and Pubmed. We focused on research papers that examined adult attachment styles and PND, and published between 1991 and 2013. We included any papers showing relationship between maternal adult attachment and PND. Out of 353 papers, 20 met the study inclusion criteria, representing a total of 2306 participants. Data from these 20 studies was extracted by means of a data extraction table.ResultsWe found that attachment and PND share a common aetiology and that ‘insecure adult attachment style’ is an additional risk factor for PND. Of the insecure adult attachment styles, anxious styles were found to be associated with PND symptoms more frequently than avoidant or dismissing styles of attachment.ConclusionMore comprehensive longitudinal research would be crucial to examine possible cause-effect associations between adult attachment style (as an intergenerational construct and risk factor) and PND (as an important maternal mental health), with new screening and interventions being essential for alleviating the suffering and consequences of PND. If more is understood about the risk profile of a new or prospective mother, more can be done to prevent the illness trajectory (PND); as well as making existing screening measures and treatment options more widely available.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40359-014-0056-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The Relationship Between Childhood Physical Abuse and Adult Attachment Styles

The purpose of the study was to identify the insecure adult attachment style associated with childhood physical abuse. Five hundred fifty-two female and 294 male university students completed questionnaires on their child abuse history, adult attachment style, and other variables. Regression analyses were completed. A history of physical abuse was associated with attachment avoidance while controlling for other forms of childhood abuse. Some support was also found for an association between physical abuse and attachment anxiety. Social support, as a control variable, was found to be an important predictor of attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety. A history of childhood physical abuse has important and specific impacts on intimate adult relationships with social support acting as a possible protective factor.

Father–Daughter Parentification and Young Adult Romantic Relationships Among College Women

The present study examined the association between retrospective reports of paternal parentification and self-reports of romantic relationship satisfaction and insecurity among a sample of 542 college women (mean age = 19.29 years). Results indicated that paternal parentification is negatively associated with romantic relationship satisfaction and positively associated with romantic relationship insecurity among undergraduate women, after controlling for levels of maternal parentification. These direct relationships were mediated by insecure adult attachment styles, including attachment-related avoidance and anxiety. Finally, consistent with past research of contextual variables, paternal health moderated the indirect effect of avoidant attachment style; the relation between paternal parentification and avoidant attachment was not significant for women who reported their fathers were ill when they were growing up. These results extend the current literature on parentification by focusing on data regarding fathers, and further support the theory that parentification may have differential outcomes based on family context.

Attachment and Personality Disorders: A Short Review

Attachment theory is a biopsychosocial model referring to a person’s characteristic ways of relating in close relationships, such as with parents, children, and romantic partners. These ways of relating are learned during early infancy and mold subsequent intimate relationships. An adult who is securely attached has internalized a reliable relationship to his/her caregivers in infancy, and thus is capable of adapting to different social contexts and, more importantly, of maintaining an adequate equilibrium between self-regulation and interpersonal regulation of stress. Insecure adult attachment styles are divided into 1) anxious/preoccupied (individuals are hypersensitive to rejection and show compulsive care- and attention-seeking behavior); 2) avoidant/dismissing (individuals are hyposensitive to social interactions, and are socially isolated); and 3) unresolved/disorganized (individuals are unable to cope under stress, thus suffering pervasive affective dysregulation). This review discusses the theoretical, psychological, neuroscientific, and developmental aspects of attachment from an evidence-based perspective. It provides an updated account of the science regarding attachment and its relevance to the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of mental illness. It examines the privileged relation between attachment and personality disorders (PDs) from multiple angles in order to introduce the most recent psychotherapeutic advances, based on attachment research, for the treatment of PDs, particularly borderline PD. Three effective, evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions are described: Mentalization-Based Treatment, Transference-Focused Psychotherapy and Schema-Focused Therapy.

The contribution of adult attachment and perceived social support to depressive symptoms in patients with HIV

The present study investigated the relationship between adult attachment style and depressive symptomatology in patients with HIV. Moreover, perceived social support was investigated as a potential mediator between adult attachment and depressive symptoms. A sample of 233 HIV-infected patients (90% male) completed questionnaires assessing adult attachment style (Relationship Questionnaire), depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory), and perceived social support (Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey). After controlling for demographic and medical variables, an insecure adult attachment style was found to be strongly related with depressive symptoms. Half of the insecurely attached patients reported clinically elevated levels of distress, while one in nine securely attached patients reported elevated levels of distress (χ2=32.25, p=0.001). Moreover, the association between attachment style and depressive symptomatology was found to be partly mediated through perceived social support. This study strongly supports the notion that an insecure attachment style is a vulnerability factor for developing depressive symptoms that would warrant clinical attention when confronted with a chronic illness such as HIV. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

Insecure attachment and frequent attendance in primary care: a longitudinal cohort study of medically unexplained symptom presentations in ten UK general practices

In primary care frequent attenders with medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) pose a clinical and health resource challenge. We sought to understand these presentations in terms of the doctor-patient relationship, specifically to test the hypothesis that such patients have insecure emotional attachment. We undertook a cohort follow-up study of 410 patients with MUS. Baseline questionnaires assessed adult attachment style, psychological distress, beliefs about the symptom, non-specific somatic symptoms, and physical function. A telephone interview following consultation assessed health worry, general practitioner (GP) management and satisfaction with consultation. The main outcome was annual GP consultation rate. Of consecutive attenders, 18% had an MUS. This group had a high mean consultation frequency of 5.24 [95% confidence interval (CI) 4.79-5.69] over the follow-up year. The prevalence of insecure attachment was 28 (95% CI 23-33) %. A significant association was found between insecure attachment style and frequent attendance, even after adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics, presence of chronic physical illness and baseline physical function [odds ratio (OR) 1.96 (95% CI 1.05-3.67)]. The association was particularly strong in those patients who believed that there was a physical cause for their initial MUS [OR 9.52 (95% CI 2.67-33.93)]. A possible model for the relationship between attachment style and frequent attendance is presented. Patients with MUS who attend frequently have insecure adult attachment styles, and their high consultation rate may therefore be conceptualized as pathological care-seeking behaviour linked to their insecure attachment. Understanding frequent attendance as pathological help seeking driven by difficulties in relating to caregiving figures may help doctors to manage their frequently attending patients in a different way.

Adult Attachment Style and Stress as Risk Factors for Early Maternal Sensitivity and Negativity.

The current study examined the individual and joint effects of self-reported adult attachment style, psychological distress, and parenting stress on maternal caregiving behaviors at 6 and 12 months of child age. We proposed a diathesis-stress model to examine the potential deleterious effects of stress for mothers with insecure adult attachment styles. Data from 137 mothers were gathered by the longitudinal Durham Child Health and Development Study. Mothers provided self-reports using Hazan and Shaver's (1987) Adult Attachment Style measure, the Brief Symptom Inventory, and the Parent Stress Inventory; observations of parenting data were made from 10-minute free play interactions. Consistently avoidant mothers were less sensitive with their infants than consistently secure mothers; however, this effect was limited to avoidant mothers who experienced elevated levels of psychological distress. Results suggest that the association between insecure adult attachment style and insensitive parenting behavior is moderated by concurrent psychosocial stress. Clinical implications for these findings are discussed.

Factors Correlated With Client Attachment to Mental Health Services

This study aimed to explore clients' attachments to psychiatric rehabilitation services and associations with adult attachment style and severity of symptoms. Potential correlates of attachments to services were investigated using a cross-sectional design. A total of 78 participants from inpatient rehabilitation units completed measures of attachment to mental health services, adult attachment style, depression, and psychosis. Clients with a more insecure attachment style and greater severity of depression indicated lower levels of attachment to services, although no effects were found for severity of psychotic symptoms. Patients with insecure adult attachment styles and higher levels of depression may experience particular difficulties in developing secure attachments to services.

Transmission intergénérationnelle de l’insécurité de l’attachement chez les familles d’enfants âgés entre 23 et 33 mois

Objectives This study clarifies the link between adult attachment styles and parental description of their attachment relationship with their child. Mechanisms of transgenerational transmission are examined by first describing similarities of attachment models within the parental couple and then by comparing parental descriptions of child attachment as a function of adult attachment profiles. Finally, we focus upon specific types of families where insecurity of adult attachment is involved in the construction of an anxious parent-child attachment relationship. Participants and method Parents from 48 families, with children between 23 and 33 months of age, filled out the Adult Attachment Questionnaire (26,27) and the child Attachment Q-Sort (29,28). Results Results revealed that attachment parental profiles were dissimilar. Fathers and mothers description of child attachment behavior converged only in families where children are characterized as “difficult” or “dependent”. Furthermore, in these families, father and mother adult attachment profiles are more likely to be dissimilar. Adult attachment insecurity was associated with parental descriptions of more intense conflict and relational difficulties in their relationship with their child. Conclusion Insecure adult attachment styles are considered as a risk factor for parenting. Less secure parents describe their relationship with their child as more conflictual.

Adult adjustment of survivors of institutional child abuse in Ireland

Objective To document the adult adjustment of survivors of childhood institutional abuse. Method Two hundred and forty-seven adult survivors of institutional abuse with a mean age of 60 were interviewed with a protocol that included the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, modules from the Structured Clinical Interview for Axis I Disorders of DSM IV and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM IV Personality Disorders, the Trauma Symptom Inventory, and the Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory. Results The prevalence of psychological disorders among adult survivors of institutional abuse was over 80% and far higher than in the normal population, with anxiety, mood and substance use disorders being the most prevalent diagnoses. Survivors also had high rates of trauma symptoms and insecure adult attachment styles, and these were higher for those who had experienced both institutional and intrafamilial abuse. Conclusions There was an association between the experience of institutional abuse in childhood and the prevalence of adult mental health problems, particularly anxiety, mood and substance use disorders. Practice implications Policies, practices and procedures should be regularly reviewed and revised to maximize protection of young people in institutional care. Evidence-based psychological treatment should be made available to adult survivors of institutional abuse.