Levels Of Attachment Avoidance Research Articles

Emotion Regulation in Dementia Caregiving: The Role of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms and Attachment Orientation.

Family caregivers are usually the main source of support for persons living with dementia, being exposed to a loved one's suffering, which can lead to experiencing strong and negative emotions. This study aimed to identify factors capable of explaining individual differences in the way caregivers regulate their emotions. This cross-sectional study included 78 informal caregivers (M = 64.84years; SD = 13.32) and 84 controls (non-caregivers) (M = 77years; SD = 7.59). Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS), attachment orientations, and emotion regulation were measured using self-report scales. Caregivers of persons living with dementia used more expressive suppression in comparison to non-caregivers. NPS and attachment avoidance were associated with expressive suppression. Moderation analyses showed that NPS only predicted expressive suppression when attachment avoidance was low or medium. The present study showed that caregivers are more likely to suppress their emotions in the presence of NPS, especially those with lower/middle levels of attachment avoidance. Psychological interventions targeting emotion regulation should be offered especially to caregivers that face NPS of persons living with dementia and present lower/middle levels of attachment avoidance.

Romantic attachment and support adequacy in new mothers

ABSTRACT In the present research, we examined whether attachment anxiety and avoidance in support recipients were related to the extent to which social support received from a romantic partner matched the actual needs of the recipient. Two-hundred and forty-five first-time mothers, currently involved in romantic relationships, participated in study 1, in which perceptions of support were appraised over the previous month using self-reports. In study 2, we sought to replicate these findings using an experience sampling method to examine the association between attachment and momentary support perceptions in the daily life of mothers with babies (N = 40). Results indicated that high levels of attachment avoidance or anxiety in mothers were associated with negative appraisals of support matching. Receiving support which matched the needs of the mother (i.e., adequate support) was beneficial to mood, but not constructive to relationship satisfaction or perceptions of maternal efficacy.

Adolescents with functional somatic syndromes: Symptom profiles, illness perception, illness worry and attachment orientation

ObjectiveTo describe patterns of somatic symptoms, illness perception, illness worries and attachment in adolescents with functional somatic syndromes (FSS) in comparison with a population-based sample of adolescents. MethodsSelf-reported and clinical data were collected from two studies: 1) Adolescents aged 15-19 with multiple FSS of at least 1 year's duration (n = 91) from the trial AHEAD (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Health in Adolescents). 2) A sex-matched population-based sample of adolescents (n = 1573) derived from the 16-17-year follow-up of the Copenhagen Child Cohort 2000 (CCC2000), including a subgroup with high somatic symptom-load (n = 155). ResultsSymptom patterns were similar across groups, but somatic symptoms were approximately 2-3-fold more common in AHEAD compared to CCC2000, with the exception of neurological symptoms, i.e. ‘moving pain’, ‘unpleasant numbness or tingling sensation’ and ‘feeling of paresis’ which were 6.5-9.0 times higher in AHEAD. Adolescents from AHEAD reported considerably more negative illness perception and illness worry compared to both the CCC2000 sample and the high symptom subgroup. Levels of attachment avoidance and anxiety, respectively, were similar in AHEAD as compared with CCC2000 but lower compared to the high symptom subgroup of CCC2000. ConclusionSimilar symptom profiles in AHEAD and CCC2000 support the concept of a general (i.e. not syndrome-specific) factor for symptom development in FSS. Functional neurological symptoms may be useful indicators of clinical impairment. A high degree of negative illness perception and illness worry in youth may lead to healthcare seeking and should have a specific focus in assessment and treatment of youth with FSS.

Romantic attachment and support preferences in new mothers: The moderating role of stress

In the present research, we examined whether attachment anxiety and avoidance in support recipients were related to preferences for specific types of support. In addition, we examined whether stress moderated the relationship between attachment and support needs. Two-hundred and forty-five first-time mothers, currently involved in romantic relationships, participated in study 1, in which support needs and stress were appraised over the previous month using self-reports. High levels of attachment avoidance were related to needing less support, but attachment anxiety was not associated with support needs. There was no hyperactivation or deactivation of the attachment system in response to stress. It is possible that recall bias, associated with cross-sectional methods, may have confounded the results. In study 2, we sought to replicate these hypotheses using an ambulatory method to examine the association between attachment and momentary support needs in the daily life of mothers with babies ( N = 40). Results revealed that attachment anxiety was associated with a preference for high levels of momentary support, but attachment avoidance was not related to any support needs. Stress experienced in the moment was found to moderate the relationships between attachment and support needs, with mothers high in anxiety and avoidance needing more support.

Extroversion and Subjective Well-Being Among Korean University Students: The Moderating Role of Attachment.

The purpose of this study was to test the moderating effects of adult attachment in the association between extroversion and subjective well-being in Korea. A total of 334 students recruited from four universities in Korea completed self-reported questionnaires regarding extroversion, attachment, and subjective well-being. The results showed that the innate extroverted orientation of university students affected positive emotions only when the level of attachment avoidance was low. In contrast, although university students had an extroverted orientation, their extroversion did not have a significant influence on positive emotions when their level of attachment avoidance was high. The findings of this study suggest that high levels of attachment avoidance may prevent for extroverts from experiencing positive emotions.

The Mediating Role of Parental Reflective Functioning in Child Social–emotional Development

Parental attachment and parental reflective functioning (PRF) have been shown to be related to attachment, mentalizing capacities, and psychopathology in children. Studies also suggest that parental insecure attachment is related to lower levels of PRF. However, no study has directly investigated whether PRF dimensions mediate the relationship between parental attachment dimensions and features of social–emotional development other than attachment, mentalizing, and psychopathology. We prospectively investigated whether PRF mediates the relationship between parental attachment dimensions (i.e., levels of attachment avoidance and anxiety) and social–emotional competences and problems, using data from a 1-year longitudinal study of first-time parents and their biological children (N = 106). We found that low PRF as assessed with the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire at 1-year follow-up, was an intervening variable in the relationship between parental attachment dimensions at time 1 and child social–emotional development at time 2. In particular, maternal attachment avoidance and paternal attachment anxiety were indirectly related to child competences and problems through high levels of prementalizing modes (i.e., attributing malevolent mental states to the child and an inability to enter the child’s internal world). In addition, in mothers only, there was a partial mediation effect of PM in the relation between attachment anxiety and child competences.

The direct and indirect effects of couples’ attachment relationship on children’s depression

The present study examined whether there is any direct or indirect association between couples’ attachment relationship and depressive symptoms experienced by their children. Having in mind the importance of the caregiving role of both mothers and fathers, the initial aim of the study was to collect data about the couple’s attachment relationship, from the two parents. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of fathers were unwilling to provide information regarding their attachment relationship. That’s why it was finally decided to collect data about the couple’s attachment from mothers only. For the same reason, only mothers’ parenting style was used as the mediating factor, in order to test any possible indirect effects, between couples’ attachment relationship and children’s depression. More specifically, three kinds of parenting style were examined, the authoritative, the authoritarian, and the permissive style. The results of the study revealed that mothers who experience higher levels of attachment anxiety tend to apply an authoritarian parenting style and this specific parenting style is significantly associated with higher depressive symptoms in children. Additionally, mothers who experience higher levels of attachment avoidance tend to behave in an authoritarian way towards their children, and this parenting style is also associated with higher depression in children.

Attachment and Satisfaction at the Empty-Nest Stage: An Actor–Partner Interdependence Model

This study used the Actor–Partner Interdependence Model to examine the impact of adult attachment on marital and parental satisfaction among a sample of 165 heterosexual couples who were at the empty-nest stage of the family life cycle. In the hypothesized model, attachment dimensions (i.e., secure, anxious/ambivalent, avoidant) served as independent variables to predict each partner’s marital and parental satisfaction. The results of a path analysis revealed that husbands’ and wives’ anxious/ambivalent attachment was negatively associated with their own and their partners’ marital satisfaction. In addition, findings showed that husbands who had high levels of avoidant attachment had lower levels of marital and parental satisfaction, and their wives also had lower levels of parental satisfaction. Moreover, partner effects indicated that wives’ avoidant attachment was negatively associated with their husbands’ parental satisfaction. These findings are discussed in terms of interdependence and gender differences between spouses regarding their experiences of marital and parental roles at the empty nest.

Exploring the Role of Sexual Avoidance in Male Sexual Dysfunction

Theoretical models of male sexual dysfunction highlight the role of sexual avoidance as a maintaining factor. However, little empirical research has directly tested the role of sexual avoidance in samples of men with sexual problems. The goals of the current study were to A) assess the association between sexual avoidance, sexual function, and subjective sexual well-being, and B) explore possible predictors of sexual avoidance, including insecure attachment, activation of negative sexual schemas, and trait experiential avoidance. One hundred and fifty eight men with self-identified impairments in sexual function (low desire, erectile function, and/or premature/delayed ejaculation) completed validated self-report measures in a secure online survey. Sexual avoidance was uniquely predicted by most aspects of sexual function, and was correlated with poorer subjective sexual well-being. Higher levels of attachment avoidance and activation of negative schemas uniquely predicted more frequent sexual avoidance. Alternatively, interaction models suggested that impaired erectile function was less likely to be associated with sexual avoidance for those with high levels of attachment anxiety and for those with high levels of trait experiential avoidance. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

High emotionality to infant cry: associations with adult attachment, gender, and age

ABSTRACT Caregivers’ sensitive responses to infant cry have long-term consequences for adaptive child development. Although mounting evidence suggests that parents who experience high emotionality to infant cry respond less sensitively to infant cry, there is a dearth of knowledge on potential mechanisms underlying individual differences in emotionality to infant cry. The current study investigates the importance of adult attachment security, gender, and age. 76 non-parents (38 female; 19–30 years old) listened to two episodes of infant cry (15 s; 75 s). Individuals with h⁠igher levels of attachment security reported less anxiety and hostility after the short cry, and less hostility after the long cry. For individuals with higher levels of attachment anxiety, associations were in the opposite direction, and individuals with higher levels of attachment avoidance reported more positive emotions after the long cry. Males and emergent adults reported more hostility after the long cry than females and adults. Results are discussed from an adult attachment, gender, and developmental theoretical framework.

The role of attachment to God and spiritual self-awareness in predicting evangelical Christians’ appraisals of suffering

ABSTRACTThe present study examined how attachment to God and spiritual self-awareness are related to evangelical Christians’ appraisals of suffering. Specifically, we were interested in whether attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance with God were related to the appraised meaning of stressful life experiences as transformational and whether spiritual self-awareness mediated this relationship. A national sample (N = 988) of students from Christian institutions completed an online survey. The results indicated that individuals with high levels of attachment anxiety or attachment avoidance with God were less likely to view suffering as a means of spiritual growth and connection with God. Mediation analyses also showed that higher levels of avoidant attachment to God were related to lower levels of spiritual self-awareness, which in turn were related to reduced ability to appraise suffering as transformational. Clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Structure and Measurement Invariance of Adult Romantic Attachment

ABSTRACTRomantic attachment is a popular theory for explaining affect, cognition, and behavior in romantic contexts. This popularity has led to a surge of self-report measures assessing dimensions of attachment. In this study, we considered the ability of 2 common attachment measures, the Adult Attachment Questionnaire (AAQ) and the Experience in Close Relationships–Revised (ECR–R), to replicate the avoidant and anxious attachment factors. We also determined the degree of measurement invariance across, and mean differences between, genders and single and nonsingle individuals. Both the AAQ (N = 650) and the ECR–R (N = 1,271) successfully distinguished avoidant and attachment factors. The AAQ showed evidence for partial strong measurement invariance, whereas the ECR-R showed strict factorial invariance for both gender and relationship status. Gender differences were detected on both measures in a direction consistent with previous research, with males exhibiting higher levels of avoidant attachment (relative to females) and females exhibiting higher levels of anxious attachment (relative to males). Furthermore, when compared to individuals who were currently single, those in romantic relationships exhibited lower levels of avoidant tendencies. This research aligns with the notion that the AAQ and ECR–R reliably assess similar constructs, across genders and single and nonsingle individuals.

The Role of Attachment in Body Weight and Weight Loss in Bariatric Patients

PurposeThe aim of this study is to explore the role of attachment styles in obesity.Material and MethodsThe present study explored differences in insecure attachment styles between an obese sample waiting for bariatric surgery (n = 195) and an age, sex and height matched normal weight control group (n = 195). It then explored the role of attachment styles in predicting change in BMI 1 year post bariatric surgery (n = 143).ResultsThe bariatric group reported significantly higher levels of anxious attachment and lower levels of avoidant attachment than the control non-obese group. Baseline attachment styles did not, however, predict change in BMI post surgery.ConclusionAttachment style is different in those that are already obese from those who are not. Attachment was not related to weight loss post surgery.

Exposure to an Infidelity Threat Manipulation

Abstract. The associations between adult attachment dimensions and responses to romantic relationship threats have been investigated in recent years. The present study extended the results of previous studies by examining whether attachment dimensions moderated the anticipated responses that individuals had to the imagined infidelity of their romantic partners. College student participants (N = 243) were randomly assigned to imagine either a high threat scenario (i.e., finding their partner having sex with someone else) or a low threat scenario (i.e., hearing a couple on television having sex) and report their anticipated responses to these scenarios. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that the attachment dimensions moderated the anticipated responses of participants to the imagined infidelity of their romantic partners but the exact patterns of these results were different than we expected. For example, individuals with low levels of attachment avoidance provided more positive evaluations of their romantic relationships than individuals with high levels of attachment avoidance in the low threat condition but this difference did not emerge in the high threat condition. These findings suggest that low levels of attachment avoidance may be most beneficial for romantic relationships when there is relatively little threat to the relationship. Further, men with high levels of attachment anxiety reported relatively positive evaluations of their relationships in the high threat condition compared to men with low levels of attachment anxiety or women (regardless of their level of attachment anxiety). Discussion focuses on the implications these results may have for understanding the connections between attachment and relationship evaluations under conditions of threat.

Adolescent attachment, family functioning and depressive symptoms

Background. Adolescence represents a challenging transitional period where changes in biological, emotional, cognitive and social domains can increase the risk of developing internalised problems including subthreshold depression. Adolescent-parent attachment style, perceived support and family functioning may increase risk for depressive symptoms or may reduce such risk. Adolescent-parent attachment, adolescent-perceived support from parents and family functioning were examined as correlates of depressive symptom presentation within this age group. Methods. Participants included a maternal parent and an adolescent (65.5% female) from each family. Adolescents were in Grade 7 ( n =175) or Grade 10 ( n =31). Data were collected through home interviews. The Self-Report of Family Inventory (SFI), Experiences of Close Relationships Scale (ECR), Network of Relationships Inventory (NRI), Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI) and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) were used to assess depression, parental support and attachment. Results. Two models were examined: one with adolescent report of depressive symptoms as the outcome and a second with parent report of adolescent internalising symptoms as the outcome. The model predicting adolescent-reported depressive symptoms was significant with older age, higher levels of avoidant attachment, and higher levels of youth-reported dysfunctional family interaction associated with more depressive symptomatology. In the model predicting parent report of adolescent internalising symptoms only higher levels of dysfunctional family interaction, as reported by the parent, were associated with higher levels of internalising symptoms. Conclusion. Positive family communication, cohesion and support predictive of a secure parent-adolescent attachment relationship reduced the risk of a depressive symptom outcome. Secure adolescents were able to regulate their emotions, knowing that they could seek out secure base attachment relations within their family and from friends during times of stress, buffering against the development of depressive symptoms.

The impact of a sex offender treatment programme on the attachment styles of incarcerated male sexual offenders

The purpose of this study was to test whether attachment styles change over the course of a sex offender-specific treatment programme for incarcerated adult male sex offenders. To measure attachment styles, 44 male sex offenders (treatment n = 26, waitlist n = 18) completed the Relationship Scales Questionnaire (RSQ) and the Adult Attachment Scale (AAS). The results indicated that treatment participants showed significant decreases in levels of anxious attachment measures from pre- to post-test. Furthermore, the results from the RSQ 2-factor showed that participants in the treatment group demonstrated a significant decrease in avoidant attachment levels at post-test compared to the waitlist group. The results from the AAS showed that participants in the treatment group demonstrated a significant decrease in dependent attachment levels at post-test compared to the waitlist group. Implications of results are discussed.