Maternal Anxious Attachment Style is Associated with Reduced Mother-Child Brain-to-Brain Synchrony During Passive TV Viewing

Synchrony in developmental science reflects the coordination of mother and child to the same mental state. Mentalisation processes are influenced by individual attachment styles. A mother with an anxious-related attachment style tends to engage in emotional mentalisation that relies on her child’s social cues. During an everyday joint activity of watching television shows together, we hypothesised that anxiously-attached mothers are less able to match their mental state to characters in the shows as their attention is likely detracted from the show and directed towards the child. We predict that this mismatch in mother’s and child’s emotional states would be reflected in reduced dyadic brain-to-brain synchrony. To test this hypothesis, we profiled mothers’ Maternal Anxiety score using the Preoccupation and Need for Approval subscales of the Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ) and used functional Near-infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) hyperscanning with 33 mother-child dyads to measure prefrontal cortex (PFC) synchrony while the dyads watched three 1-min animation videos together. Greater Maternal Anxiety is associated with less synchrony in the medial right prefrontal cluster implicated in mentalisation processes. Anxiously-attached mothers appear to exhibit less brain-to-brain synchrony with their child which suggests differences in intersubjective shared experiences that potentially undermines the quality of bonding during everyday joint activities.

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Individual Differences in Work-Related Well-Being: The Role of Attachment Style

Europe’s Journal of Psychology ◽

10.5964/ejop.v10i4.814 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 694-711

Author(s):

Tiziana Lanciano ◽

Vanda Lucia Zammuner

Keyword(s):

Job Satisfaction ◽

Attachment Style ◽

Adult Attachment ◽

Attachment Styles ◽

Job Involvement ◽

Well Being ◽

Anxious Attachment ◽

Work Related ◽

Dispositional Trait

Integrating theories of adult attachment and well-being at the workplace, the present study tested the role of attachment style in predicting work-related well-being in terms of job satisfaction and job involvement, over and above dispositional trait measures (emotional traits and work-related traits). A sample of workers took part in a correlational study that explored the relationships among a) adult attachment, b) emotional traits, c) work-related traits, and d) work-related well-being indices. The results showed that both secure and anxious attachment style explained workers’ job involvement, whereas the secure and avoidant attachment styles explained workers’ job satisfaction. The current findings thus confirm and expand the literature's emphasis on studying the variables and processes that underlie people's mental health in the work setting, and have implications for assessing and promoting well-being in the workplace.

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Romantic relationships in adults with ADHD: The effect of partner attachment style on relationship quality

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships ◽

10.1177/0265407520953898 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 38 (1) ◽

pp. 42-64

Author(s):

Katherine Knies ◽

Elizabeth A. Bodalski ◽

Kate Flory

Keyword(s):

Romantic Relationships ◽

Relationship Quality ◽

Attachment Style ◽

Attachment Styles ◽

Romantic Relationship ◽

Insecure Attachment ◽

Adhd Symptoms ◽

Anxious Attachment ◽

Avoidant Attachment ◽

Romantic Relationship Quality

Prior literature indicates that insecure attachment styles (i.e., anxious or avoidant) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) both have negative impacts on romantic relationships, but relatively little is known about how these factors interact among couples where one partner has ADHD and the other does not. One hundred and fifty-nine partners of adults with significant ADHD symptoms completed measures of their own attachment styles, their partner’s ADHD symptoms, and relationship quality. Anxious attachment was associated with lower romantic relationship quality, but avoidant attachment was associated with more positive relationship outcomes. Results also indicated that the negative effect of ADHD symptoms on romantic relationship quality may be exacerbated by a partner’s high level of anxious attachment. Though insecure attachment styles are generally thought to have a negative impact on romantic relationships, avoidant attachment was generally associated with more positive outcomes in this study. Several possible explanations based on theoretical support are included in the discussion along with clinical applications and future directions.

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Why Some People Just “Can’t Get No Satisfaction”: Secure versus Insecure Attachment Styles Affect One’s “Style of Being in the Social World”

International Journal of Marketing Studies ◽

10.5539/ijms.v9n2p36 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 36

Author(s):

Willem Verbeke ◽

Frank Belschack ◽

Richard P. Bagozzi ◽

Rumen Pozharliev ◽

Tsachi Ein-Dor

Keyword(s):

Attachment Style ◽

Commercial Bank ◽

Attachment Styles ◽

Positive Emotions ◽

Social World ◽

Relationship Formation ◽

Anxious Attachment ◽

Luxury Goods ◽

Avoidant Attachment ◽

The Social

We first seek to explore the relationship between attachment styles of professional financial service customers and their ability to experience customer satisfaction and build relationships with a commercial bank. Secure attached people identify with the commercial bank, feel satisfied and are loyal with the commercial bank. Second, we question whether attachment styles and degrees of satisfaction are also reflected in a capacity to feel pleasure in attachments to luxury products, feel happiness and pro-activeness, develop positive relationships with others, and sleep well for multiple samples of non-commercial customers. Apparently, secure attached people form enjoyable attachments with luxury goods/brands. Equally, in life in general they show a proactive attitude and generosity toward others, and feel low envy. Anxious attachment style relates negatively with appraisal of and relationship formation with commercial banks, negatively with enjoyment and attachment to luxury goods, and negatively with generosity towards people and happiness. In addition, anxious attachment style relates positively with envy towards people and low sleep quality. Avoidant attachment style does not relate with any of the above variables except for a negative association with happiness with life in general. Finally, none of the attachment styles scales relates with the BIS-BAS scale, except that anxious attachment relates with the BIS scale, indicating largely that the attachment system does not function as an approach-avoidance system but helps in homeostatic regulation of stress due to the experience of quiescence with others. By studying how attachment styles affect people in commercial and general social domains we hope to pave the way for further exploration of the fundamental mechanisms that drive secure attached people as opposed to insecure attached people to generally experience positive emotions and outcomes in life. We tentatively suggest that compared to insecure attached people, secure attached people possess a different “style of being in the social world.”

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Desperately Seeking Support

Social Psychological and Personality Science ◽

10.1177/1948550616671402 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 229-238 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Lane Beckes ◽

Kailey Simons ◽

Danielle Lewis ◽

Anthony Le ◽

Weston Edwards

Keyword(s):

Attachment Style ◽

Attachment Styles ◽

Negative Reinforcement ◽

Event Related Potentials ◽

Ratio Schedule ◽

Decision Task ◽

Variable Ratio ◽

Reinforcement Schedules ◽

Anxious Attachment ◽

Related Potentials

Much is unknown about adult attachment style formation. We investigate whether negative reinforcement schedules promote hallmark features of secure and anxious attachment styles in a shock threat support-seeking paradigm. Participants ostensibly asked for help from another participant seated in another room. Each time a shock threat signal appeared they were to press a button to indicate their need for help. The supporter could then stop the imminent shock. The reliability of the supporters was varied such that some supporters were consistent (continuous reinforcement) whereas others were inconsistent (variable ratio reinforcement). Results indicated that inconsistently responsive others, reinforcing on a variable ratio schedule, led to heightened approach-related attentional biases toward the supporter, measured by event-related potentials, increased positive attachment associations with the supporter, implicitly measured via a lexical decision task, and more negative explicit evaluations of the supporter.

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Attachment style and salivary cortisol awakening response in eating disorders

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.318 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 33 (S1) ◽

pp. S162-S162

Author(s):

F. De Riso ◽

R. Giugliano ◽

A.M. Monteleone ◽

M. Nigro ◽

F. Pellegrino ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Eating Disorders ◽

Attachment Style ◽

Hpa Axis ◽

Adult Attachment ◽

Attachment Styles ◽

Cortisol Awakening Response ◽

Anxious Attachment ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Anxious Group ◽

Hpa Axis Functioning

IntroductionEarly life experiences can influence hypotalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis regulation and adult attachment styles. Furthermore, several studies showed that in patients with eating disorders (EDs) there is a prevalence of insecure attachment. However, the relationship between adult attachment style, HPA axis functioning and onset of EDs is largely unknown.Objectives and aimsIn order to evaluate possible associations between attachment styles and HPA axis functioning in EDs, we investigated Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) in ED patients with different attachment styles.MethodsTwenty adult patients with EDs were classified in three groups, according to the Experience in Close Relationship questionnaire (6 with secure attachment, 6 with anxious attachment and 8 with avoidant attachment). Saliva samples were collected at awakening and 15, 30 and 60 minutes after.ResultsThere was a significant difference among the groups in both awakening and post-awakening cortisol concentrations. In particular, compared to secure and avoidant groups, the anxious group exhibited lower cortisol concentrations at awakening and post-awakening with a preservation of the timing of the CAR.DiscussionPresent findings demonstrate that anxious attachment style is linked to flattened CAR in EDs. This pattern has been associated with other psychiatric disorders. Therefore, attachment style could influence the HPA functioning and it could play, although not specifically, a role in pathophysiology of EDs.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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Potential of Brand Personality: Attachment Styles as Moderator

American Journal of Business and Management ◽

10.11634/21679606170691 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 34 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

LO Ying Tuan ◽

Huam Hon Tat ◽

Ahmad Sharifuddin Shamsuddin ◽

Amran Md Rasli ◽

Ahmad Jusoh

Keyword(s):

Empirical Study ◽

Attachment Style ◽

Coming Out ◽

Attachment Styles ◽

Brand Personality ◽

The Other ◽

Anxious Attachment ◽

Brand Attachment ◽

Avoidant Attachment ◽

The Impact

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of consumer’s attachment styles as a moderator in the impact of brand personality on its brand attachment. This research investigated the preferred brand personality of anxious and avoidant attachment consumer, their likelihood to be attached to that brand and how they respond to any changes in brand personality. A total of 300 students were surveyed. Their attachment style and their response towards sincere and exciting personality and its brand attachment were assessed. Empirical study shows that anxious attachment style consumer preferred sincere brand personality, tends to be attached with it and did not respond to any changes in brand personality. Avoidant attachment style people on the other hand have a stronger relationship with the exciting brand personality, are not likely to be attached to it and will respond to changes in brand personality. This study implies that marketers should get to know their targeted market’s attachment style prior coming out with the suitable brand personality.

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The effects of attachment style and security priming on the perception of others’ pain

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships ◽

10.1177/0265407515627509 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 34 (2) ◽

pp. 184-208 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Yangu Pan ◽

Dajun Zhang ◽

Yanling Liu ◽

Guangming Ran ◽

Zhaojun Teng

Keyword(s):

Pain Intensity ◽

Attachment Style ◽

Adult Attachment ◽

Attachment Styles ◽

Attachment Anxiety ◽

Future Research ◽

Anxious Attachment ◽

Priming Paradigm ◽

Perceived Pain ◽

Preoccupied Attachment

Abundant evidence has demonstrated a relationship between adult attachment and the experience of one’s own pain. However, few studies have investigated the associations between adult attachment and perception of others’ pain. The current studies examined the effects of attachment style and security priming on the perception of others’ pain. In Study 1, we explored the influence of avoidant and anxious attachment styles on the perception of pain in pictures representing pain or no pain. The results indicated that individuals high on anxiety and low on avoidance (i.e., preoccupied attachment style) reported more pain intensity and unpleasantness for painful pictures; individuals high on both anxiety and avoidance (i.e., fearful attachment style) reported less pain intensity for painful pictures. In Study 2, we examined the effects of security priming and attachment style on the perception of pain in pictures representing pain or no pain by adopting a security priming paradigm. The results suggested that security priming attenuated perceived pain intensity for painful pictures for individuals with high attachment anxiety. In Study 3, we used another well-validated security priming paradigm; results indicated that security priming reduced perceived pain intensity for pain pictures among individuals high on anxiety and low on avoidance (i.e., preoccupied attachment style) but increased perceived pain intensity for painful pictures among individuals high on both anxiety and avoidance (i.e., fearful attachment style). Directions for future research, clinical implications, and limitations of the present studies are discussed.

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Loving styles: relationships with personality and attachment styles

European Journal of Personality ◽

10.1002/per.498 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 103-113 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Patrick C. L. Heaven ◽

Tatiana Da Silva ◽

Christine Carey ◽

Janet Holen

Keyword(s):

Hong Kong ◽

Path Analysis ◽

Attachment Style ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Attachment Styles ◽

Item Pool ◽

Anxious Attachment ◽

Personality Dimension ◽

Personality Predictors ◽

Personality Item

We investigated the ability of the major personality dimensions, some of their underlying facet scales, and attachment styles to predict primary and secondary loving styles, as conceptualized by Lee. Personality was assessed using the International Personality Item Pool, and attachment styles through an inventory devised by Collins and Read. Respondents were 302 undergraduate students (212 females; 90 males) who participated in the study in exchange for course credit. Results of regression path analysis showed that N was the only personality dimension without direct predictive links to loving styles. Instead, the influence of N was through an anxious attachment style. There were no personality predictors of Agape, and similarities were also observed between these results and those obtained in Hong Kong. The results are discussed with reference to previous studies and some suggestions for further research are also noted. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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The role of intelligence in the relationship between attachment styles and cognitive schemas in psychotherapists

10.47040/sd0000074 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 90-101

Author(s):

Virginia Corduneanu

Keyword(s):

Attachment Style ◽

Personal Development ◽

Attachment Styles ◽

Short Form ◽

Cognitive Schemas ◽

Anxious Attachment ◽

Psychoeducational Programs ◽

Attachment Style Questionnaire ◽

The Relationship

The present study aims to analyze the relationships between attachment styles (avoidant and anxious) and cognitive schemas and also the role of intelligence in this relationship. The participants of the study were 62 psychologists or future psychologists aged between 23 and 51 years, M = 34.38, SD = 7.18. Of these, 12 were psychology students, 54 were autonomous psychologists, and two were experimented psychologists. Four of the participants were men, and 68 were women. As for marital status, 23 were unmarried, 19 were in a relationship, and 30 were married. The instruments used were The Attachment Style Questionnaire, ASQ (α = .94), Young Cognitive Schema Questionnaire - Short Form, YSQ-S3 (α = .98), and Analogical Transfer Test (CAS++) for the measurement of intelligence. The results showed that avoidant and anxious attachment styles are positively associated with the development of maladaptive cognitive schemas in all the five domains. Intelligence does not moderate the relationship between attachment styles and cognitive schemas. In the personal development of psychologists and psychotherapists, it is necessary to augment maladaptive cognitive schemas through specific psychoeducational programs. Further studies are needed to identify other factors that may be involved in the development of cognitive schemas.

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Individuals with Major Depressive Disorder Report High Scores of Insecure-Avoidant and Insecure-Anxious Attachment Styles, Dissociative Identity Symptoms and Adult Traumatic Events

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare9091169 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (9) ◽

pp. 1169

Author(s):

Sanobar Golshani ◽

Ali Najafpour ◽

Seyed Sepehr Hashemian ◽

Nasser Goudarzi ◽

Ali Firoozabadi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Major Depressive Disorder ◽

General Population ◽

Life Events ◽

Attachment Style ◽

Attachment Styles ◽

Traumatic Events ◽

Prevalence Rates ◽

Major Depressive ◽

Anxious Attachment ◽

Traumatic Life Events

Objective: Individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) report more issues in social interaction compared to the general population. Moreover, dimensions of dissociation are considered dysfunctional strategies to cope with adverse life events. In this regard, current symptoms of MDD could be associated with traumatic events that occurred in childhood and in adult life. Given this background, the aim of the present study was to explore the associations between attachment styles as a proxy of quality of social interaction, dimensions of dissociation, and childhood and adult traumatic life events among individuals with MDD. Method: A total of 300 individuals with MDD (mean age: 31.31 years; 58.7% female) took part in this study. They completed a series of questionnaires on sociodemographic information, attachment styles, dimensions of dissociation, and childhood and adult traumatic life events. Results: Prevalence rates for attachment styles were as follows: anxious/ambivalent attachment style—71.7%; avoidant/dependent attachment style—13%; secure/close attachment style—15.3%. Compared to the general population, the participants reported higher prevalence rates of insecure attachment styles. Current symptoms of dissociation were associated with adult but not childhood traumatic life events. An anxious attachment style was associated with higher scores of dissociation. Conclusion: Psychotherapeutic treatment of individuals with MDD should consider the individuals’ challenging attachment styles and their risk of dissociation. While it is important to consider both adult and childhood traumatic events, in this research, more recent trauma occurring in adulthood was associated with current symptoms of dissociation.

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