scholarly journals Exploring How UK Adults' Attachment Style in Romantic Relationships Affects Engagement in Controlling Behaviours

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Molly C. Gilbert ◽  
Robert Blakey
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Attachment Style ◽  
Adult Attachment ◽  
Attachment Styles ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Interpersonal Relationship ◽  
Insecure Attachment ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Anxious Attachment

Copious studies have identified a link between disorganised attachment and engagement in controlling caregiving or controlling punitive behaviours. Studies have suggested that consistently engaging in these behaviours can cause difficulties within relationships and contribute to the development of a personality disorder. Most of the literature thus far has focused on engagement in controlling behaviours by children with a disorganised attachment style, despite there being theoretical grounds to suggest they may also be used by adults and across all types of insecure attachment. This study aimed to address these gaps by looking at adult attachment style and engagement in controlling behaviours in romantic relationships, across all insecure attachment styles; avoidant, anxious and disorganised. The current study recruited a non-clinical sample; specifically, 149 English-speaking adults, living in the UK, between the ages of 18 and 77 years old (M = 34.28, SD = 14.90). The participants answered an anonymous online questionnaire containing four self-report measures which assessed the participants' attachment security and organisation, caregiving style and engagement in punitive behaviours. The results indicated that participants who scored higher in disorganised attachment were more likely to use controlling punitive behaviours in their romantic relationships. Moreover, participants who reported a more insecure-anxious attachment style were more likely to use compulsive caregiving behaviours in their romantic relationships. In contrast, participants who reported a higher insecure avoidant attachment style were less likely to use compulsive caregiving behaviours in their romantic relationships. These results have implications for adult attachment theory and aid the understanding of some of the behaviours that can be harmful within romantic relationships. The findings could be used to help at-risk individuals develop healthy interpersonal relationship going forward.

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

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.

Interparental conflict and relational attitudes within romantic relationships: The mediating role of attachment orientations

2022 ◽  
pp. 026540752110616
Author(s):  
Rami Tolmacz ◽  
Rachel Bachner-Melman ◽  
Lilac Lev-Ari ◽  
Karen Almagor
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Attachment Style ◽  
Attachment Styles ◽  
Interparental Conflict ◽  
Structural Equations ◽  
Insecure Attachment ◽  
Couple Relationships ◽  
Anxious Attachment ◽  
Attachment Orientations ◽  
Avoidant Attachment

Early experiences and childhood perceptions of interparental conflict (IPC) have consistently been shown to have detrimental consequences for future psychological adjustment, in particular for attachment and couple relationships during adolescence and adulthood. We hypothesized that 1. IPC would predict anxious and avoidant attachment styles, and three relational attitudes associated with couple relationships: sense of relational entitlement, pathological concern, and authenticity; and 2. Attachment style would mediate the associations between IPC and these three relational attitudes. Measures of perceived IPC, attachment orientations, relational entitlement, pathological concern, and authenticity in romantic relationships were completed online by 280 young adults aged 19–32. IPC was positively correlated with anxious and avoidant attachment styles, restricted and inflated sense of entitlement, and pathological concern and negatively with authenticity. A structural equations model showed that IPC predicted avoidant and anxious attachment styles, which positively predicted an inflated and restricted sense of relational entitlement and pathological concern and negatively predicted authenticity. Attachment styles fully mediated the relationships between IPC and the relational attitudes. IPC therefore seems to be related to imbalanced attitudes in romantic relationships, due in part to a propensity toward insecure attachment orientations. Children with insecure attachment who are exposed to significant levels of IPC may be at high risk for relationship problems later in life because of difficulties exposing their vulnerability, assessing need fulfillment realistically, and caring for themselves as well as others. They should therefore be helped to communicate their relational needs to significant others, in particular to their partners.

scholarly journals Measuring attachment and parental bonding in psychosis and its clinical implications

2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 142-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Mathews ◽  
J. Onwumere ◽  
S. Bissoli ◽  
M. Ruggeri ◽  
E. Kuipers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Attachment Theory ◽  
Attachment Style ◽  
Attachment Styles ◽  
Parental Bonding ◽  
Insecure Attachment ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Term Outcome ◽  
Long Term Outcome

Background.Attachment theory proposes that psychological functioning and affect regulations are influenced by the attachment we form with others. Early relationships with parents or caregivers lay the foundations for attachment styles. These styles are proposed to influence how we relate to others during our life can be modified by the relationships and events we experience in our lifespan. A secure attachment style is associated with a capacity to manage distress, comfort with autonomy and the ability to form relationships with others, whereas insecure attachment can lead to dysfunctional relationships, emotional and behaviour avoidance. Attachment theory provides a useful framework to inform our understanding of relationship difficulties in people with psychosis. This paper aims to complement recent systematic reviews by providing an overview of attachment theory, its application to psychosis, including an understanding of measurement issues and the clinical implications offered.Method.A narrative review was completed of the measures of attachment and parental bonding in psychosis. Its clinical implications are also discussed. The paper also explores the link between insecure attachment styles and illness course, social functioning and symptomatology. The following questions are addressed: What are the key attachment measures that have been used within the attachment and psychosis literature? What are the results of studies that have measured attachment or parental bonding in psychosis and what clinical implications can we derive from it? What are some of the key questions for future research from these findings in relation to the onset of psychosis research field?Results.The most commonly used measures of attachment in psychosis research are reviewed. Self-report questionnaires and semi-structured interviews have mainly been used to examine attachment styles in adult samples and in recent years comprise a measure specifically developed for a psychosis group. The review suggests that insecure attachment styles are common in psychosis samples. Key relationships were observed between insecure, avoidant and anxious attachment styles and psychosis development, expression and long-term outcome.Conclusions.Attachment theory can provide a useful framework to facilitate our understanding of interpersonal difficulties in psychosis that may predate its onset and impact on observed variability in outcomes, including treatment engagement. Greater attention should be given to the assessment of attachment needs and to the development of interventions that seek to compensate for these difficulties. However, further investigations are required on specifying the exact mechanisms by which specific attachment styles impact on the development of psychosis and its course.

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

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.

scholarly journals Σχέσεις μεταξύ του ζευγαριού και οι αντιλήψεις τους για το δεσμό με τη μητέρα τους

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 183
Author(s):  
Ελένη Κυργερίδου ◽  
Παναγιώτα Βόρρια ◽  
Γρηγόρης Κιοσέογλου
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Attachment Style ◽  
Adult Attachment ◽  
Close Relationships ◽  
Detrimental Effect ◽  
Dyadic Adjustment ◽  
The Other ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Dyadic Adjustment Scale

The current study examined the association between attachment style and adjustment in romantic relationships as well as the association between perceptions of adult attachment and adjustment in romantic relationships. 65 cohabitating couples aged from 21 to 32 years were recruited for the study. Couples completed the following self-report questionnaires: 1) Perceptions of Adult Attachment Questionnaire, PAAQ, Lichtenstein & Cassidy, 1991, 2) Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory, ECR, Brennan, Clark & Shaver, 1998 and 3) Dyadic Adjustment Scale, DAS, Spanier, 1976. Results showed that secure couples (both partners described themselves as securely attached) as well as mixed couples (one partner chose the secure description and the other defined himself or herself as insecure) reported higher relationship quality compared to both insecure couples (both partners described themselves as insecurely attached). Analyses aimed to test the links between early attachment experiences and marital relationship quality illustrated that both partners’ rejection from their mother in early childhood had a detrimental effect on women’s marital adjustment.

Attachment style and salivary cortisol awakening response in eating disorders

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.

Attachment Styles and the Ideal Image of a Mate

2004 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rami Tolmacz ◽  
Gil Goldzweig ◽  
Ruth Guttman
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Attachment Style ◽  
Attachment Styles ◽  
Insecure Attachment ◽  
Young Males ◽  
Relational Patterns ◽  
Ideal Image ◽  
Personality Patterns ◽  
The Ideal

The study examines, within the framework of attachment theory, relationships of ideal images of young males with respect to their ideal image of a mate. A review of previous studies dealing with partner selection reveals the lack of a theoretical model that combines developmental processes and specific personality patterns with the process of creating an ideal image of the partner. The present study uses Facet Theory and Facet Design to construct a unified conceptual framework for the research in which attachment style and ideal image of the spouse are viewed as two modes of relating to one another. Intercorrelations among replies to the attachment and ideal image questionnaires were subjected to Smallest Space Analysis (SSA). The results indicate a relation between attachment style, the subjects' ideal image of a mate and the ideal images of oneself and one's mother. As predicted, persons with a secure style tended to have high levels of flexibility in their descriptions of the ideal image of the spouse. Males with insecure attachment styles exhibited different relational patterns of ideal image of themselves and their mothers. The SSA results suggest a hierarchic relation between attachment styles and the ideal image of a mate. These findings are consistent with the understanding that attachment styles affect the character and quality of the individual's romantic relationships.

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

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 184-208 ◽  
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.

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

2011 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 855-864 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. E. Taylor ◽  
T. Marshall ◽  
A. Mann ◽  
D. P. Goldberg
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Physical Function ◽  
Attachment Style ◽  
Adult Attachment ◽  
Attachment Styles ◽  
Insecure Attachment ◽  
Consultation Rate ◽  
Frequent Attendance ◽  
Medically Unexplained

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

scholarly journals Sensitivity to Affective Touch Depends on Adult Attachment Style

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Krahé ◽  
Mariana von Mohr ◽  
Antje Gentsch ◽  
Lisette Guy ◽  
Chiara Vari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Cognition ◽  
Attachment Style ◽  
Adult Attachment ◽  
Attachment Styles ◽  
Attachment Anxiety ◽  
Adult Attachment Interview ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Affective Touch ◽  
Standard Assessment ◽  
Explicit Representations

AbstractAffective touch supports affiliative bonds and social cognition. However, it remains unknown whether pre-existing models of social relating influence the perception of affective touch. Here, we present the first study (N=44) to examine how individual differences in attachment styles relate to the perception of affective touch, as well as to a different non-social modality of interoception, namely cardiac perceived accuracy. Using the gold standard assessment of adult attachment (Adult Attachment Interview), we found that insecure attachment was associated with reduced pleasantness discrimination between affective vs. non-affective, neutral touch. Acknowledging the different traditions in measuring attachment, we also used a well-validated self-report questionnaire that pertains to explicit representations of current close relationships. Using this measure, we found that higher scores on an attachment anxiety dimension (but not an attachment avoidance) were associated with reduced pleasantness discrimination between affective vs. non-affective, neutral touch. Attachment patterns (in both measures) were not related to cardiac perception accuracy. These results corroborate and extend previous literature on the affectivity of touch and its relation with affiliative bonds and social cognition. Given that attachment was not related to perceived cardiac accuracy, these findings point to the specificity of the relationship between affective touch and attachment.

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