Low Attachment Anxiety Research Articles

Attachment Orientation and Preferences for Partners' Emotional Responses in Stressful and Positive Situations.

Attachment theory proposes that close relationships help us to regulate our emotions in stressful and positive situations. However, no previous studies have examined preferences for a partner's emotional response to one's own stressful and positive situations or tested whether these preferences differ based on attachment orientation. This study examines the association of attachment orientation and preferences for partners' emotional responses relative to one's own emotional responses in stressful and positive contexts among 425 United States adults who were currently in a committed relationship of ≥6 months. Data were collected in 2020. Overall, participants preferred their partners to feel and express less distress, less worry, more calm, and more hope than themselves during stressful situations and for their partners to feel and express more excitement, pride, and hope than themselves during positive situations. Higher attachment anxiety predicted preferences for partners to feel and express more distress/worry in stressful situations, whereas higher attachment avoidance predicted preferences for partners to feel and express less hope in stressful situations. Statistical interactions of attachment anxiety × attachment avoidance indicated that the combination of low attachment anxiety and high attachment avoidance (dismissing avoidance) was associated with preferences for partners to feel and express less positive emotions in positive situations, whereas the combination of high attachment anxiety and high attachment avoidance (fearful avoidance) was associated with preferences for partners to feel and express more negative emotions in stressful situations and less positive emotions in positive situations. This investigation provides novel evidence for links between attachment orientation and preferences for partners' emotional responses in two theoretically important contexts, which has implications for the nature and function of emotion regulation in close relationships. Future research is needed to determine the generalizability of these findings to more collectivist cultural contexts.

Retraction of Robinson et al. (2015).

Reports the retraction of "Crying as communication in psychotherapy: The influence of client and therapist attachment dimensions and client attachment to therapist on amount and type of crying" by Noah Robinson, Clara E. Hill and Dennis M. Kivlighan Jr. (Journal of Counseling Psychology, 2015[Jul], Vol 62[3], 379-392). The following article is being retracted (https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000090). This retraction is at the request of coauthors Kivlighan and Hill after the results of an investigation by the University of Maryland Institutional Review Board (IRB). The IRB found that the study included data from between one and four therapy clients of the Maryland Psychotherapy Clinic and Research Laboratory (MPCRL) who either had not been asked to provide consent or had withdrawn consent for their data to be included in the research. Robinson was not responsible for obtaining and verifying participant consent but agreed to the retraction of this article. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2015-23479-001.) Nelson (2005) associated 3 types of crying (inhibited, protest, despair) with 3 dimensions of attachment (avoidant, anxious, and secure). To test this theory, trained judges rated the intensity of inhibition, protest, and despair in 347 crying episodes for 40 clients and 14 therapists in 1,074 psychotherapy sessions. Crying occurred once out of every 7 sessions, and usually was characterized by protest or inhibition. Pre-therapy attachment dimensions of both therapist and client influenced crying. Therapists with high attachment avoidance had clients who cried frequently but less over time, whereas therapists with high attachment anxiety had clients who cried with more protest over time. Clients with high attachment anxiety initially cried with more protest and inhibition, but decreased over time, whereas clients with low attachment anxiety increased protest over time. Throughout the course of psychotherapy, therapists who were seen by their clients as establishing a secure attachment elicited more overall crying and a higher intensity of protest, whereas therapists who were seen by their clients as establishing insecure attachments had clients who cried less. Clients who established a secure or avoidant relationship with their therapists, relative to other clients of that therapist, cried infrequently and with inhibition, whereas clients who established a preoccupied relationship cried relatively often. Changes are suggested for Nelson's (2005) typology. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

The Effect of Loneliness on Nomophobia: A Moderated Mediation Model.

A large number of studies have shown that loneliness is a positive predictor of nomophobia (no mobile phobia), but little research has examined the mechanism of this association. Drawing on attachment theory, the present study constructs a moderated mediation model to examine whether smartphone attachment mediates the relation between loneliness and nomophobia and whether this mediating process is moderated by attachment anxiety. A total of 598 college students in China were recruited to complete a questionnaire to measure loneliness, smartphone attachment, attachment anxiety, and nomophobia. A moderated mediation analysis was conducted. Our findings revealed that after controlling for gender, loneliness is positively associated with nomophobia. Meanwhile, smartphone attachment plays a mediating role in the relationship between loneliness and nomophobia. Furthermore, attachment anxiety moderates the mediated path through smartphone attachment, such that an indirect effect is much stronger for individuals with higher attachment anxiety relative to those with low attachment anxiety. The present study provides new insight into the complex processes in the association between loneliness and nomophobia, and the results have important theoretical and practical implications.

TRAIT SELF-CONTROL AND ATTACHMENT ANXIETY IN RETIREES’ DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING

Abstract Trait self-control (TSC) is a well-known predictor of well-being. TSC may reduce distraction from hedonistic pursuits and enable more effective goal-directed behavior. Attachment anxiety (AA) is a trait that predicts lower relationship quality and lower well-being; people high on AA are characterized by hyper-sensitivity, proximity-seeking and excessive rumination. In retirement, these traits may interact to predict wellbeing. Methods: 120 retired participants took part in data collection (M = 62.37 years old; SD = 10.07 years; 68% women, 70% white). Data collection included self-reported AA (Experience in Close Relationships), TSC (Brief Self-Control Scale), depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale) and emotional well-being (RAND 36-Item Health Survey). We conducted hierarchical linear regressions and accounted for demographic and health-related covariates. Results: TSC was negatively related to depressive symptoms and positively related to emotional well-being. AA was positively related to depressive symptoms and negatively related to emotional well-being. We found an interaction predicting depressive symptoms such that participants with low TSC and high AA had the highest depressive symptoms (p = .036). This interaction was not significant for emotional well-being. Discussion: After retiring, maintaining a healthy social life may be more effortful, as there are fewer ‘built-in’ social interactions (i.e., with coworkers). Retirees with higher TSC may be able to maintain their social life more effectively than those with lower TSC. Similarly, people with lower AA may be able to obtain more enjoyment from their social lives. Together, lower AA and higher TSC may be protective mechanisms for depressive symptoms.

Recollection of childhood trauma changes according to the shift in individual attachment rather than psychiatric diagnosis

• Baseline scores of abuse and neglect predicts follow up scores. • Attachment changes is linked with recollection of abuse and neglect at follow-up. • Lower attachment anxiety is associated with more recollection of abuse and neglect. • Lower attachment anxiety and avoidance decrease recollection of abuse and neglect. Childhood trauma (CT) has been linked to the development of various mental disorders. While traumatic history cannot be reversed, the shift in its perception can have significant implications. This study investigates how changes in the severity of attachment insecurity, depression and social anxiety influence CT trauma recollection one year later. Individuals with major depressive disorder with or without comorbid anxiety as well as controls were included ( N = 76). Participants completed questionnaires on attachment, depression, social anxiety, and CT at baseline and one year later. Multivariable linear regressions were used to explore the associations. Baseline scores of emotional abuse, physical neglect, and sexual abuse were significant predictors of their respective follow up scores ( p <0.01). Interaction terms of the changes between two attachment dimensions were significantly associated with recollection of emotional abuse, physical neglect, and total trauma at follow-up. When attachment avoidance increased, a decrease in attachment anxiety was associated with increases in recollection of emotional abuse, physical neglect, and total trauma ( p <0.001). Decreases in both attachment anxiety and avoidance were significantly associated with a reduction in the recollection of emotional abuse, physical neglect, and total trauma ( p <0.001). Treatments used in each group was not collected and there was no corroboration with respect to accuracy of events reported on the CT. Our results suggest that improving both dimensions of attachment insecurity will influence the reappraisal of CT towards a less traumatic perception. This shift in the narrative is likely to promote resilience and recovery in patients with CT.

From Individual Anxiety to Collective Narcissism? Adult Attachment Styles and Different Types of National Commitment.

National narcissism and national identification, two distinct types of national commitment, differ in terms of their psychological concomitants. Therefore, in the current article, we hypothesized that they would also relate to different adult attachment styles. Namely, we proposed that national narcissism would be positively associated with higher attachment anxiety, while national identification would be associated with lower attachment anxiety and avoidance. These hypotheses were tested in three cross-sectional surveys (Study 1 N = 570; Study 3 N = 558; Study 4 N = 649) and one longitudinal survey (Study 2 N = 808). In all studies, we found a consistent positive relationship between attachment anxiety and national narcissism, and a negative relationship between attachment avoidance and national identification. Finally, we also demonstrated indirect effects of attachment anxiety (via national narcissism) on maladaptive group-related outcomes: conspiracy beliefs, non-normative collective action, and willingness to conspire.

Gender Differences in Attachment Anxiety and Avoidance and Their Association with Psychotherapy Use-Examining Students from a German University.

Attachment anxiety and avoidance might explain gender differences in psychotherapy use, which is generally lower in men. In addition, university students are a particularly vulnerable group for mental health problems, and understanding psychotherapy use, especially among mentally distressed male students, is pivotal. A total of 4894 students completed an online survey answering questions regarding psychotherapy use and completing the PHQ-D identifying psychological syndromes. In addition, the ECR-RD12 was used to measure attachment anxiety and avoidance. Significant gender differences for attachment anxiety and avoidance emerged, showing higher attachment anxiety in female students and higher attachment avoidance in male students. Male students used psychotherapy significantly less than female students. Male students’ attachment anxiety and avoidance predicted psychotherapy use, while for female students, only attachment anxiety emerged as a significant predictor. Attachment anxiety is positively associated with psychotherapy use, and lower attachment anxiety in men may explain lower psychotherapy use in male students.

Partner Phubbing as a Social Allergen: Support for a Dual Process Model

In a couple context, a social allergen is a behavior that irritates one’s partner and tends to increase as a romantic relationship continues. Given that smartphones are a constant companion for many people, their use in the presence of one’s romantic partner is pervasive and can have important implications for relationships. The present research focuses on relationship length and partner phubbing and investigates the mediating role of passion and deromantization on the social allergen of partner phubbing. Study 1 surveyed 250 married adults and found that relationship length is negatively associated with romantic passion which, in turn, is positively associated with perceptions of partner phubbing. Although the literature on social allergens would suggest a positive effect of relationship length on partner phubbing, Study 1 showed no significant main effect of relationship length on phubbing. As an attempt to explain this seeming anomaly, we drew from the attachment theory to propose an additional mechanism underlying this relationship. Study 2 (n=250married adults) then tests an expanded model that includes attachment anxiety as an additional mediator. Results show that relationship length is associated with lower attachment anxiety which is in turn associated with less perceived partner phubbing. Overall, the results show support for a dual process model, such that romantic passion and attachment anxiety differentially underlie the path between relationship length and perceived partner phubbing. The findings provide important insights into better understanding partner phubbing as a social allergen over the course of marital relationships.

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.

Parenthood in the shadow of COVID-19: The contribution of gender, personal resources and anxiety to first time parents' perceptions of the infant.

We sought to examine new parents' perceptions of their infant during the worldwide spread of COVID‐19, exploring the contribution of gender, personal resources (attachment orientation, presence of meaning in life and intolerance of uncertainty) and COVID‐19‐related anxieties. A convenience sample of 606 Israeli first‐time parents (137 fathers and 469 mothers), whose child was 3–12 months old, was recruited through social media during April 2020. Findings indicate that being a woman, younger age, lower education, better physical health, older infant's age, lower attachment anxiety, higher presence of meaning in life and greater COVID‐19‐related anxiety over the infant's health contributed significantly to a greater perception of infant's warmth; being a father, higher education and economic status, poorer physical health, higher attachment anxiety and intolerance of uncertainty and less presence of meaning in life contributed significantly to a greater perception of infant's invasiveness. Gender moderated the associations between the personal resources and infant's perception, and both the presence of meaning in life and intolerance of uncertainty mediated the associations between COVID‐19‐related anxieties and parent's perception of the infant. The findings reveal the crucial contribution of gender, and both risk and resilience factors, to the parent's perception of the infant in the shadow of COVID‐19.

Conflict-coparenting spillover: The role of actors’ and partners’ attachment insecurity and gender.

The current research applied a dyadic perspective to examine conflict-coparenting spillover by examining (a) whether actors' or partners' hostility during couples' conflict discussions predicted greater hostility in a subsequent play activity with their child and (b) whether these actor and partner effects were moderated by two factors that prior theory and research suggest may shape conflict-coparenting spillover: attachment insecurity and parent gender. Cohabiting or married couples were video recorded discussing their most serious conflict while their 4-5-year-old child was in a separate room (N = 94 families). Immediately following their conflict discussions, couples were reunited with their child to participate in a semistructured family activity. Independent teams of observational coders rated how much each partner displayed (a) hostility during the conflict discussion (conflict hostility) and (b) hostility during the family activity (coparenting hostility). The results provide novel evidence that conflict-coparenting spillover is a dyadic process shaped by actors' and partners' attachment insecurity and gender. Men exhibited greater conflict-coparenting spillover even if they were low in attachment anxiety, but men's conflict-coparenting spillover was lower when their partners were lower in attachment anxiety and avoidance. Women's lower attachment anxiety also was associated with women's own lower conflict-coparenting spillover. This pattern suggests that men are more vulnerable to conflict-coparenting spillover, whereas women lower in attachment anxiety and avoidance appear able to contain both their own and their partners' conflict hostility from spilling over to family interactions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

COVID-19 Related Traumatic Distress in Psychotherapy Patients during the Pandemic: The Role of Attachment, Working Alliance, and Therapeutic Agency.

The early months of the COVID-19 pandemic have been a challenging time for many psychotherapy patients. To understand why certain patients were more resilient, we examined the role of patients’ attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance, as well as collaborative therapy experiences (perceived working alliance and therapeutic agency) in their online sessions on their COVID-related traumatic distress over a three-month period. A total of 466 patients in online psychotherapy completed a survey during the first weeks of the pandemic, and 121 of those completed a follow-up survey three months later. Lower distress at follow-up was predicted by patients’ lower attachment anxiety and higher therapeutic agency in their online sessions after controlling for baseline distress and time of survey completion. Higher working alliance predicted less distress at follow-up only for patients with high attachment anxiety. For patients with low attachment avoidance (i.e., more securely attached), higher therapeutic agency predicted less distress. These findings suggest that patients’ attachment anxiety and therapeutic agency may play significant roles also in online therapy during COVID-19 in patient’s experienced traumatic distress, and that working alliance and therapeutic agency may be differentially important for patients with different levels of attachment anxiety and avoidance.

Latent profile analysis of interpersonal problems: Attachment, basic psychological need frustration, and psychological outcomes.

The purpose of this project was to identify distinct profiles of circumplex interpersonal problems, cross-validate the profiles, and examine construct validity through associations with adult attachment, basic psychological needs frustration, and psychological outcomes. Undergraduates at two universities provided survey data. In Study 1 (N = 469), latent profile analysis identified three distinct profiles of interpersonal problems. We labeled these: Flexible-Adaptive, Exploitable-Subservient, and Hostile-Avoidant. Construct validity analyses suggested the Flexible-Adaptive profile was distinguished from the other two by lower attachment anxiety, whereas the Hostile-Avoidant profile was distinguished from the other two by higher attachment avoidance. In Study 2 (N = 423), we conducted profile similarity analyses to cross-validate Study 1 results, following the multistep procedure proposed by Morin et al. (Organizational Research Methods, 2016, 19, p. 231). Results suggested that when the data from Study 2 were constrained to fit the profile model derived from Study 1, with respect to means, variance, and latent profile membership, the model fit was equivalent. In Study 2, further evidence of construct validity suggested that the Flexible-Adaptive profile was distinguished from the other two by lower relatedness frustration and by lower competence frustration. Additionally, the Hostile-Avoidant profile was distinguished from the Exploitable-Subservient profile by higher relatedness need frustration. Validity evidence for these profiles indicated that those with the Hostile-Avoidant profile reported the most negative psychological outcomes, followed by those with the Exploitable-Subservient profile, while those with the Flexible-Adaptive profile reported the best psychological outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Client attachment and change in mental health during psychotherapy.

In the current study, we used a naturalistic design to examine how client attachment orientations affect changes in client mental health over the course of treatment. We evaluated session-by-session changes in overall maladjustment levels (derived from the Outcome Questionnaire 45.2) in a sample of 105 adult clients who were seeking therapy at a large, university-based, outpatient psychology training clinic. The primary goal of this study was to investigate how client attachment orientations affected patterns of change in client overall maladjustment scores across time. Because previous findings have suggested that client attachment orientations may be associated with different patterns or differential rates of change, beyond linear changes, we also extended previous research by testing more complex models involving quadratic and cubic changes over the course of therapy. Multilevel modeling analysis revealed that client overall maladjustment scores significantly improved throughout therapy. Results further indicated that client attachment anxiety predicted change in maladjustment during therapy. Attachment avoidance did not predict change in symptoms. With respect to attachment anxiety, we found different patterns of recovery or symptom change throughout therapy for clients with high versus low attachment anxiety. Clients low in attachment anxiety showed consistent improvements and those high in attachment anxiety exhibited low levels of therapeutic change throughout the middle of therapy despite their overall improvements. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Self-vulnerabilities, attachment and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms: Examining the moderating role of attachment security on fear of self

Recently, feared self-perceptions and attachment insecurities have been shown to be associated with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms and cognitions. In the current study, we examined the moderating role of attachment security in the form of low dispositional attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance on the link between fear of self and OCD symptoms. Two hundred and thirty-nine community participants completed a battery of questionnaires online. Consistent with our hypothesis, the link between fear of self and OCD symptoms was moderated by dispositional attachment security. Specifically, participants showing high fear of self tendencies, but scoring low on both dispositional attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance showed less OCD symptoms than participants with high fear of self but showing either high attachment anxiety or attachment avoidance. We discuss the role of attachment and attachment-related processes within the proposed theoretical model and explore its implications to our understanding of OCD symptoms and their treatment.

Relations between attachment insecurity and role and outcome expectations for couple therapy

With the efficacy of couple therapy no longer in doubt, researchers are seeking to identify client characteristics that explain variability in retention and outcomes. We examined the link between two self‐reported characteristics, attachment insecurity and treatment expectations (for self, partner, and outcome), in a Mechanical Turk sample of 182 adults in committed relationships. A significant canonical correlation accounted for 27 per cent of the variance between the two sets of variables. Interpretation of the structure coefficients indicated that (1) low role expectations for one’s partner were predicted by high attachment anxiety; (2) low expectations for the outcome of couple therapy were predicted by high attachment avoidance coupled with low attachment anxiety; and (3) high self and outcome expectations were predicted by high attachment anxiety when attachment avoidance was low. We discuss the implications of these results for engaging couples with insecure attachment patterns.Practitioner points Expectations for couple therapy are measurable, and related to levels of attachment insecurity Results of this study underscore the importance of clinicians inquiring early on in treatment about what each partner anticipates about the process of couple therapy Clinicians should work gently and creatively with clients with low expectations to help them safely engage in the treatment process Recognising attachment insecurity should be a signal to clinicians to monitor relevant attachment behaviours and related expectations

Attachment impacts cortisol awakening response in chronically depressed individuals

BackgroundEarly life experiences shape individual attachment, creating a template for regulating emotions in interpersonal situations, likely to persist across the lifespan. Research has shown that individual attachment creates vulnerability for depression, and also impacts the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis. Still, the relationship between attachment and the HPA axis in depressed individuals is unclear. Cortisol awakening response (CAR) has been recently investigated as a possibly useful physiological marker related to attachment insecurity and depression risk. However, research exploring the relationship between the CAR and attachment in individuals with chronic depression in either the presence or the absence of comorbid anxiety is lacking. The purpose of the current study was to fill this gap, by comparing the CAR in individuals with chronic depression with/without comorbid anxieties and controls. In addition, we also wanted to explore the relationship between attachment and the CAR in this group and to explore their predictive role for later depression severity. MethodsIndividuals experiencing a current depressive episode at least six months in length (cMDD; n = 63) and healthy controls (HC; n = 57) were enrolled in the study (total n = 120). Participants completed a structured clinical diagnostic interview (SCID-I) as well as measures of depression severity (Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression) and attachment dimensions (Experiences in Close Relationships scale; ECR) at baseline. In addition, participants provided salivary samples at four time points (i.e. 0 (S1), 30, 45 and 60 min) following awakening on two consecutive days. S1 cortisol, the area under the curve with respect to ground (AUCg) and increase (AUCi) were calculated based on the average values across both days. The HC and cMDD groups were compared on all measures. The CAR for individuals with cMDD alone (n = 14) and individuals with cMDD with two or more comorbid anxiety disorders (cMDD ≥ 2Anx; n = 30) were also compared. A subset of participants (n = 59) agreed to return for follow up one year later. Participants returning for follow up repeated the BDI-II and ECR. No salivary samples were collected at follow-up. ResultsThe cMDD group had significantly lower S1 cortisol and AUCg compared to the HC group (both p ≤ 0.02). cMDD and cMDD ≥ 2Anx groups did not differ in their CAR. Regression analyses revealed that depression severity and the attachment interaction term was associated with lower S1 and AUCg cortisol (p < 0.01). Greater attachment avoidance was positively associated with S1 cortisol (p = 0.02), while mean awakening time on sample days was negatively associated with S1 cortisol. We also found a significant interaction between the attachment dimensions such that at low levels of attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance had a positive relationship with S1 cortisol and AUCg. The opposite relationship existed when attachment anxiety was high. Higher baseline BDI-II score and higher baseline attachment anxiety were predictive of higher scores on the BDI-II one-year later (both p < 0.05). ConclusionsThe current findings bring evidence that depression severity is associated with blunting of the CAR irrespective of the comorbid status with anxiety disorders. In addition, attachment avoidance may protect against the CAR blunting in individuals with low attachment anxiety. However, individuals with high attachment anxiety and avoidance might have additional CAR blunting. Attachment anxiety might be a good predictor of future depression severity.

Distress and apprehension among new parents during the COVID-19 pandemic: The contribution of personal resources.

The study examined parental distress and apprehension about raising an infant during the COVID-19 pandemic among new Israeli parents, investigating the role of personal resources (low attachment avoidance and anxiety, high self-mastery) and various COVID-19-related anxieties and comparing mothers and fathers. A convenience sample of 606 Israeli parents (469 mothers and 137 fathers) whose first child was 3-12 months old was recruited through social media. No significant differences emerged between mothers and fathers in level of parental distress or apprehension. Poorer health, higher attachment avoidance and anxiety, lower self-mastery, and a higher level of COVID-19-related anxiety over going for infant health checkups contributed significantly to greater parental distress. Lower level of education, being a woman, higher attachment avoidance and anxiety, and higher levels of all COVID-19-related anxieties contributed significantly to greater pandemic-related apprehension. The findings show that new parents may experience parental distress and concerns about raising a child during the crisis, and that whereas specific COVID-19-anxieties are unrelated to global parental distress, they are linked to the apprehension aroused by the pandemic. Moreover, they highlight the contribution of parents' personal resources, showing that lower attachment avoidance and anxiety are associated with lower distress and apprehension, whereas self-mastery is especially significant for lessening the apprehension about raising an infant in this period. These insights may be used in targeted interventions to reduce distress in vulnerable populations, such as individuals who recently became parents for the first time. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

ATTACHMENT SECURITY AND VIEWS TOWARD AGING IN OLDER COUPLES: A DYADIC PERSPECTIVE

Research has shown that attachment security–feelings of emotional safety from interpersonal closeness and responsiveness– is associated with better appraisal of stressful situations. Individuals’ views toward aging could be one avenue such appraisals are expressed that in turn contribute to better health in late life. However, no studies to our knowledge have examined the dyadic associations between attachment security and views towards aging in the context of close relationships. We hypothesized that attachment insecurity would be associated with individuals’ own and partners’ negative views toward aging in older married couples. The study sample was comprised of 77 older persons with a self-reported musculoskeletal condition and their caregiving spouses. The Experiences in Close Relationships Scale and the open-ended Image of Aging questions were used to measure attachment security and views toward aging. Data were analyzed with SPPS mixed models using the Actor Partner Interdependence Model. Mean age of care-recipients were 65.9 and 64.8 for their spouses. Contrary to our hypothesis, results showed no significant associations between each individual’s attachment security and their own views toward aging. However, care-recipients reported particularly positive views toward aging when caregivers had low attachment anxiety (p=.03), and caregivers reported more negative views toward aging when care-recipients had low attachment avoidance (p=.02). Findings suggest that having a close partner who is securely attached may be protective of one’s own views of aging, which may in turn have positive effects on health.

Testing a Neuro-Evolutionary Theory of Social Bonds and Addiction: Methadone Associated With Lower Attachment Anxiety, Comfort With Closeness, and Proximity Maintenance.

Evidence from non-human mammals for the involvement of the endogenous opioid system in prosocial behavior is reasonably extensive and robust; however, studies in humans are lacking. This study tests the neuro-evolutionary hypothesis that exogenous opiates, including morphine, heroine, and methadone, decrease separation anxiety and proximity by hijacking the neuro-peptide endogenous opioid system modulating social bonds. Participants were 486 subjects, 43% male, with ages between 18 and 62 years (M = 26.4; SD = 9.4), divided in three naturalistic groups: 1: addicts in drug-free treatment; 2: addicts in methadone programs; 3: normative non-clinical controls. Instruments: 1) Adult Attachment Scale (AAS) composed of three subscales: Anxiety about being rejected (α = 0.83), Comfort with Intimacy (α = 0.68), and Comfort Depending on Others (α = 0.70). 2) Caregiving Questionnaire composed of four subscales: Proximity Maintenance: (α = 0.83), Sensitivity: (α = 0.76), Controlling Caregiving (α = 0.77) and Compulsive Caregiving (α = 0.68). Results: Multivariate Analysis of Co-variance (MANCOVA) models were computed; gender, age, and education were included in the models. Methadone patients and drug-free treatment addicts were equivalent and reported significantly lower Comfort Depending on Others, Comfort with Intimacy, and Caregiving Proximity. However, methadone users reported significantly lower Anxiety about being rejected than drug-free addicts and were equivalent to non-clinical controls. In addition, correlations between the methadone intake dose and the questionnaires’ scales showed that dose was significantly and negatively correlated with Comfort with Closeness (rs = −0.36; p < 0.01) and with Caregiving Proximity (rs = −0.28; p < 0.05).