scholarly journals Attachment style and clinical outcome within a DBT-informed Therapeutic Community

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brendan James Dunlop ◽  
Mark Andrew McFetridge
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Attachment Style ◽  
Adult Attachment ◽  
Attachment Styles ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Service Evaluation ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Therapeutic Communities ◽  
Adult Attachment Style ◽  
Content Type

Purpose There is evidence that attachment style and clinical outcomes are related within Therapeutic Communities (TCs). This paper aims to examine any possible relationships between self-reported adult attachment style, therapy programme engagement and measures of psychological distress and dissociation on admission and discharge within a residential TC. Design/methodology/approach Ex-clients of the TC were contacted by post and invited to take part in this service evaluation. Additional data were sourced from a database of routinely collected outcome measures. Of 281 ex-clients, the final sample in this study was N = 32. Findings When attachment style is conceptualised dimensionally, participants identified most strongly with a fearful attachment style, and least with a preoccupied or secure style. A range of attachment styles were reported. A significant association was apparent between self-reported secure attachment and reduced levels of psychological distress upon discharge from the TC. The potential for changes in client attachment patterns following TC membership is discussed. Research limitations/implications The small sample size and correlational nature of this study means that results should be interpreted cautiously. Nevertheless, results are of clinical relevance for inpatient or residential therapy programmes (including TCs). Such programmes should routinely assess client attachment style to ensure appropriate interventions and adaptions are implemented. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, to date, this is the first known study to report on the relationship between self-reported adult attachment style and psychological outcomes specifically for women with self-defeating behaviours within a TC.

The SCIA Questionnaire: standards for communities for children and adolescents – a tool for the evaluation of good practices

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Cinzia Guarnaccia ◽  
Anna Maria Ferraro ◽  
Maria Lo Cascio ◽  
Simone Bruschetta ◽  
Francesca Giannone
Keyword(s):  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Community Treatment ◽  
Short Version ◽  
Therapeutic Communities ◽  
Evaluation Tool ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present the Italian validation of the standards for communities for children and adolescents (SCIA) Questionnaire, an evaluation tool of communities quality standards, based on the “Service Standards for Therapeutic Communities for Children and Young People – 2nd edition” of the Community of Communities (2009), that enables an empirical, multidimensional and complex evaluation of the therapeutic community (TC) “system”. It is a self-report that sets out and measures variables that allow to get an overview of organisational models and the possible development areas to improve the effectiveness of the protection of child and adolescents in community treatment. The validation and a preliminary analysis to develop a short version of the SCIA are presented. Design/methodology/approach The questionnaire (composed, in the extended form, by 143 items) was administered to 101 community workers, 20 males (19.8 per cent) and 81 females (81.2 per cent) aged between 24 and 61 years (M=36.20, SD=8.4). The analysis of reliability (Cronbach’s α) and a series of exploratory factor analysis allowed to eliminate redundant or less significant items. Findings The short form of the self-report consists of 67 items, divided into seven subscales, which explore different areas of intervention in TCs. Despite the limitations due to the small sample size, the utility of this tool remains confirmed by its clinical use and the development of good operating practices. Originality/value The SCIA Questionnaire responds to the need to adopt empirical variables in the process of evaluation of the communities. The SCIA is also a useful tool for clinical evaluation, as it allows a detailed observation of residential community treatment with children and adolescents that allows to analyse and monitor the structural and organisational aspects and the quality of practices that guide the interventions.

scholarly journals I hate my workplace but I am very attached to it: workplace attachment style

2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (5) ◽  
pp. 936-949 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabrizio Scrima ◽  
Liliane Rioux ◽  
Giovanni Di Stefano
Keyword(s):  
Attachment Style ◽  
Adult Attachment ◽  
Attachment Styles ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Secure Attachment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Worldwide Distribution ◽  
Theoretical Support ◽  
Behavioral System ◽  
It Workplace

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether different patterns of workplace attachment exist and to explore the relations between adult attachment styles and the level of workplace attachment. Design/methodology/approach Participants were 351 Italian employees who completed a questionnaire composed of the Workplace Attachment Scale and the Relationship Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using correspondence analysis. Findings The results showed that high scores on workplace attachment correlated significantly with secure attachment style, while low scores correlated with insecure attachment styles. These results shed light on different workplace attachment styles. Research limitations/implications The limitation in this study mostly concern the use of self-reporting instruments to measure the participants’ attachment style, since they may be susceptible to distortions. However, the distribution of attachment styles in this sample is similar to the worldwide distribution, which supports the authors’ choice. Practical implications To the extent that it is possible to identify a specific workplace attachment style, it should also be possible to change some of the human resource management practices inducing employees to develop a workplace secure attachment style. Originality/value Researchers tended to ignore the extension of the adult attachment behavioral system to examine core environmental relationships. The present study, applying attachment theory to workplace attachment, provides theoretical support that the bonds that an individual forms with workplace can be classified as attachment bonds.

scholarly journals Personal Agency in Borderline Personality Disorder: The Impact of Adult Attachment Style

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Talia Hashworth ◽  
Samantha Reis ◽  
Brin F. S. Grenyer
Keyword(s):  
Borderline Personality Disorder ◽  
Personality Disorder ◽  
Attachment Style ◽  
Adult Attachment ◽  
Attachment Styles ◽  
Borderline Personality ◽  
Personal Agency ◽  
Adult Attachment Style ◽  
Adult Attachment Styles ◽  
The Impact

BackgroundPersonal agency- the degree to which one believes they have control over their life- is thought to influence how people understand their interpersonal relationships. Links between adult attachment and personal agency are theoretically relevant to the experience of borderline personality disorder (BPD) but this has yet to be empirically examined. The present research examines the impact of personal agency and adult attachment styles for individuals meeting criteria for BPD.MethodsParticipants consented to an online community study examining measures of locus of control (as an index of personal agency), BPD, and adult attachment. Participants meeting criteria for BPD (N = 96; mean age = 30.63; 70.5% female) were compared to age-matched healthy controls (N = 96; mean age = M = 31.99; 89.0% female).ResultsIndividuals who met criteria for BPD displayed lower personal agency and higher fearful and preoccupied attachment styles in their close relationships, compared to Controls. Controls reported greater personal agency and were more securely attached in their relationships. Using multiple mediation modeling, the indirect effect of personal agency on BPD was significant for preoccupied, fearful, and secure attachment, but was non-significant for dismissive attachment. Lower personal agency was associated with insecure adult attachment styles.ConclusionsFindings highlight the previously unexplored relationship between BPD and personal agency and indicate that adult attachment style plays a significant role. Low personal agency may increase challenges for individuals with symptoms of BPD by exacerbating relationship difficulties. People in treatment for BPD may benefit from focusing on both relationship insecurity and its impact on their perceived personal control.

scholarly journals The Influence of Family Structure and Adult Attachment Style on Theft Behaviors in Men: a Case-Control Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xu Wang ◽  
Jiajun Xu
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Family Structure ◽  
Attachment Style ◽  
Adult Attachment ◽  
Attachment Styles ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Criminal Records ◽  
Adult Attachment Style ◽  
Psychological Mechanisms ◽  
Preoccupied Attachment

Abstract Background: Theft has leaded to significant costs to commerce and legal system, but its psychological mechanisms and risk factors are barely explored. This study aims to investigate the influence of family structure and adult attachment style on theft behaviors in men. Methods: 257 men with a conviction for theft (theft group) and 405 male college students (control group) were interviewed with Experiences in Close Relationships Scale and a general questionnaire about socio-demographic information, family structure and criminal records. Results: Compared with control group, long-term residency, family economic situation, number of siblings, father’s presence before 5 years old, parents’ state of existence and parents’ marital status of theft group were significantly different (P<0.05). Living in urban area, from relatively poor family, not living with father before 5 years old and parents not divorced increased the likelihood of theft in men (P<0.05). While father not alive and having no siblings decreased the likelihood of theft in men (P<0.05). Then theft group was further divided into first offender group and recidivist group. First offender group had a significantly higher proportion of living with mother/father before 5 years old and father alive than recidivist group (P<0.05). Not living with mother before 5 years old and father not alive increased the possibility of multiple thefts, while preoccupied attachment decreased such possibility (P<0.05). Conclusions: This study suggested that risk factors for theft and multiple thefts were different. A variety of targeted strategies related to family structure and attachment styles are needed to prevent theft from occurring and reoccurring.

scholarly journals Collins and Read Revised Adult Attachment Scale (RAAS) validity evidences

Psico ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 29567
Author(s):  
Rachel Coelho Ripardo Teixeira ◽  
José Henrique Benedetti Piccoli Ferreira ◽  
Anna Beatriz Carnielli Howat-Rodrigues
Keyword(s):  
Attachment Style ◽  
Adult Attachment ◽  
Attachment Styles ◽  
Sao Paulo ◽  
Validity Evidence ◽  
São Paulo ◽  
Adult Attachment Style ◽  
Final Version ◽  
Brazilian Sample ◽  
Three Factor

This study aimed to find validity evidence of different versions of the Revised Adult Attachment Scale (RAAS) that measures adult attachment style and have been translated into Portuguese, in order to obtain a final version of the instrument for application in a Brazilian sample. We used the original version of the RAAS and its recent variations. Four independent studies were held, with a total of 1436 participants, mostly young adults from the states of São Paulo and Bahia. Exploratory and confirmatory analyses corroborated the validity of the three-factor structure (secure, anxious and avoidant) from the scale, with satisfactory indexes for Brazilian data. We found differences in frequency of attachment styles between sexes, confirming evolutionary hypotheses of intersexual variation. The scales showed satisfactory evidence of validity, and it is advised to use its latest version to measure adult attachment. *** Evidências de validade da Escala de Apego Adulto de Collins e Read (RAAS) ***Este estudo teve o objetivo de encontrar evidências de validade de diferentes versões da Revised Adult Attachment Scale (RAAS) que aferem o estilo de apego adulto e que foram traduzidas para a língua portuguesa, a fim de buscar uma versão final do instrumento para aplicação em uma amostra brasileira. Usou-se a versão original da RAAS e suas variações recentes. Realizamos quatro estudos independentes, com um total de 1436 participantes, sendo majoritariamente adultos jovens dos estados de São Paulo e da Bahia. Análises exploratórias e confirmatórias corroboraram a validade da estrutura de três fatores (seguro, ansioso e evitativo) da escala, apresentando índices satisfatórios para os dados brasileiros. Diferenças na frequência entre os sexos em relação aos estilos de apego foram encontradas, confirmando hipóteses evolucionistas de variação intersexual. As escalas apresentaram evidências satisfatórias de validade, e aconselhamos o uso da versão mais recente.Palavras-chave: apego adulto; validação de escala; estilo de relacionamento.

Family Environment and Adult Attachment as Predictors of Psychopathology and Personality Dysfunction Among Inpatient Abuse Survivors

2007 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 577-600 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelley A. Riggs ◽  
Gayla Sahl ◽  
Ellen Greenwald ◽  
Heather Atkison ◽  
Adrienne Paulson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personality Disorder ◽  
Attachment Style ◽  
Family Environment ◽  
Adult Attachment ◽  
Attachment Styles ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Abuse Survivors ◽  
Adult Attachment Style ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Adult Attachment Styles

The current study explored the role of early family environment and adult attachment style in explaining long-term outcomes among child abuse survivors. Adult patients (N = 80) in a trauma treatment program were assessed for clinical diagnosis and administered a multiscale questionnaire. Hierarchical regression analyses were significant for dissociative identity disorder (DID), substance abuse, anxiety disorder, posttraumatic stress, somatization, and six personality disorder dimensions. Adult attachment styles were significant predictors of most outcome variables. Of particular note was the strong contribution of attachment avoidance to DID. Five family environment scales (Independence, Organization, Control, Conflict, Expressiveness) also contributed to various psychopathological outcomes. Evidence emerged supporting a mediating role for attachment style in the link between family independence and five personality disorder dimensions.

Adult Attachment Style and Prejudice

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Russell J. Webster ◽  
Bernard E. Whitley ◽  
Kimberly A. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Attachment Style ◽  
Adult Attachment ◽  
Adult Attachment Style

Adult Attachment Style Differences Among Adaptive, Maladaptive, and Nonperfectionists

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Noble ◽  
Philip B. Gnilka ◽  
Jeffrey S. Ashby ◽  
Kathleen Mckinney Clark ◽  
Mary Beth Ellis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Attachment Style ◽  
Adult Attachment ◽  
Adult Attachment Style
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