scholarly journals Attachment Security and Suicide Ideation and Behaviour: The Mediating Role of Reflective Functioning

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 3090
Author(s):  
Jessica Green ◽  
Katherine Berry ◽  
Adam Danquah ◽  
Daniel Pratt
Keyword(s):  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
Adult Attachment ◽  
Suicide Ideation ◽  
Attachment Security ◽  
Reflective Functioning ◽  
Mental States ◽  
Attachment Anxiety ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Attachment Avoidance

Background: To understand why attachment difficulties predispose individuals to suicidal thinking (suicide ideation) and behaviour, a leading cause of death, we need to explore the role of pertinent psychological mechanisms. Attachment processes are closely linked to the development of mentalisation capabilities, or reflective functioning; the ability to understand and interpret self and other behaviour as an expression of mental states. Interventions designed to improve mentalisation have been associated with a reduction in suicidal behaviour, yet reflective functioning has not been directly investigated in relation to suicidal ideation and behaviour. Aim: We aim to further verify the link between adult attachment security and suicidal ideation and examine whether deficits in reflective functioning mediate this relationship. Methods: Sixty-seven participants who experienced suicidal ideation within the past 12 months completed self-report measures of adult attachment, current suicidal ideation, reflective functioning, depressive symptomology and hopelessness. Partial correlations, mediation analyses and group comparisons were conducted to explore relationships between these factors. Results: Findings did not support a mediational role for reflective functioning in the relationship between attachment security and suicidal ideation. A direct relationship was established between attachment avoidance and suicidal ideation, after controlling for age, gender and depressive symptoms. However, participants with a history of attempted suicide were higher in anxious attachment compared to participants with no such history. Conclusions: This study shows that the attachment dimensions of attachment anxiety and avoidance may play differential roles in increasing risk for suicidal attempts versus ideation. This has important implications for tailoring interventions. Those aimed at reducing suicide attempts should focus on reducing attachment anxiety by helping people develop skills in emotional regulation. Interventions aimed at reducing suicidal ideation should focus on reducing attachment avoidance by helping people develop closer relationships with significant others. However, longitudinal and experimental designs are required to verify causality.

The Relationship Between Texture Responses on the Rorschach and Adult Attachment

2010 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazunori Iwasa ◽  
Toshiki Ogawa
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Adult Attachment ◽  
Japanese Population ◽  
Attachment Anxiety ◽  
Anxiety Scale ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Comprehensive System ◽  
Attachment Avoidance ◽  
Sensitive Measure ◽  
The Relationship

We examined the relationship between texture responses (T) on the Rorschach and adult attachment in the Japanese population. 47 Japanese undergraduate and graduate students (mean age = 20.16, SD = 1.87) completed a self-report adult attachment scale as well as the Rorschach. An ANOVA revealed that T = 1 participants were attached more securely than were other groups. T > 1 participants were more preoccupied with attachment and scored higher on an attachment anxiety scale than the T = 1 group. Although these results were consistent with the interpretation of the texture response according to the Comprehensive System (CS), the results obtained for T = 0 participants were inconsistent with hypotheses derived from the CS. T = 0 participants were high on preoccupied and attachment anxiety scores, although they were theoretically expected to be high on dismissing or attachment avoidance. These results indicated that – at least in Japan – T should be regarded as a sensitive measure of attachment anxiety.

scholarly journals Impact of Anger on Suicidal Ideation: Mediating Role of Perceived Emotional Distress in Late Adolescents and Emerging Adults with Psychological Problems

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 295-312
Author(s):  
Soulat Khan ◽  
Tahira Mubashar ◽  
Tanvir Akhtar ◽  
Tayyab Ali Butt
Keyword(s):  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
Emerging Adults ◽  
Emotional Distress ◽  
Suicide Ideation ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Psychological Problems ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Late Adolescents ◽  
Mediating Role

The present study addresses impact of anger on suicidal ideation with the mediating role of perceived emotional distress in 40 late adolescents and emerging adults (Girls = 24, Boys = 16) with psychological problems. Participants’ aged between 18 to 25 years (M = 21.65, SD = 1.84). The sample was recruited from counseling centers of two public sector universities. Positive and Negative Suicide Ideation Inventory (Osman, Gotierrez, Kropper, Barrios, Chiros, 1998), Perceived Emotional Distress inventory (Moscoso, 2011) and Anger Self-Report (Burney, 2001) were used to assess study variables. Findings indicated that anger and emotional distress had significant positive relationship with suicidal ideation and significant negative relationship with protective thoughts and ideation. Mediation Analysis through Process Macro revealed that perceived emotional distress significantly mediates the relationship between anger and suicidal ideations. No gender differences were found between study variables. The study outcomes highlighted that future strategies for prevention of suicidal ideation must focus on managing emotional distress and anger.

scholarly journals Quantifying the Predictive Role of Temperament Dimensions and Attachment Styles on the Five Factor Model of Personality

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 145
Author(s):  
Efrat Barel ◽  
Yonathan Mizrachi ◽  
Maayan Nachmani
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Attachment Style ◽  
Adult Attachment ◽  
Attachment Styles ◽  
Attachment Security ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
Five Factor Model ◽  
Self Report

Background: The present study investigated the role of temperament and attachment security in predicting individual differences in the five factor personality traits among adults. As previous studies suggested the potential moderating role of attachment in the association between temperament and personality traits, the present study sought to examine an interactionist model combining attachment and temperament in explaining individual differences in personality traits. Methods: A sample of 1871 participants (1151 women and 719 men) completed self-report measures of adult attachment style (the Relationships Questionnaire—RQ), temperament dimension (the Fisher Temperament Inventory—FTI), and personality domain (the Five Factor Model—FFM). Results: Partial correlational analyses revealed associations between attachment security and each of the five domains of the FFM, and few associations between some temperament dimensions and several domains of the FFM. Moderated regression analyses showed that attachment security moderated the associations between temperament dimensions and the Agreeableness domain of the FFM. Among secure individuals, those with higher scores on the Curious/Energetic, Cautious/Social Norm Compliant and Prosocial/Empathetic scales exhibited higher Agreeableness scores, whereas among insecure individuals, those with higher scores on the Analytic/Tough-minded scale exhibited lower scores on the Agreeableness scale. Conclusion: Overall, the current study provides evidence in support of the substantive role of social-environmental factors (Adult Attachment) as a moderating element bridging temperament-related personality elements and a number of their FFM manifestations.

The role of attachment avoidance and defensive fight in aggression

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 1476-1490
Author(s):  
Gery C. Karantzas ◽  
Nicolas Kambouropoulos
Keyword(s):  
Attachment Theory ◽  
Interpersonal Violence ◽  
Attachment Anxiety ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Attachment Avoidance ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Interpersonal Aggression ◽  
Relationship Threat ◽  
Cross Sectional Design

Attachment insecurity (i.e., levels of attachment anxiety and avoidance) is associated with interpersonal violence and aggression. However, evidence suggests that the associations are more consistent for attachment anxiety than for attachment avoidance. This raises questions as to whether there are particular moderators that may help to explain the lack of consistency in findings for attachment avoidance. In this article, we focus on a novel moderator regarding the association between attachment avoidance and aggression. Drawing on attachment theory, the aggression literature, and research into systems of threat detection, we suggest that the association between attachment avoidance and aggression may reflect a defensive fight (DF) response in situations of high relationship threat. Across two studies (Study 1, a self-report cross-sectional design; N = 128; Study 2, a cross-sectional experimental design, N = 126), we tested the extent that DF moderated the association between attachment avoidance and aggression under perceived relationship threat. In line with our suggestion, a three-way interaction was found across both studies between attachment avoidance, relationship threat, and DF. The findings have important theoretical and practical implications for the study of interpersonal aggression from an attachment theory perspective.

Attachment Organization in Suicide Prevention Research

Crisis ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Venta ◽  
Carla Sharp
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
Suicide Attempt ◽  
Interpersonal Relationships ◽  
Suicide Ideation ◽  
Suicide Attempts ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Self Harm

Background: Identifying risk factors for suicide-related thoughts and behaviors (SRTB) is essential among adolescents in whom SRTB remain a leading cause of death. Although many risk factors have already been identified, influential theories now suggest that the domain of interpersonal relationships may play a critical role in the emergence of SRTB. Because attachment has long been seen as the foundation of interpersonal functioning, we suggest that attachment insecurity warrants attention as a risk factor for SRTB. Aims: This study sought to explore relations between attachment organization and suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and self-harm in an inpatient adolescent sample, controlling for demographic and psychopathological covariates. Method: We recruited 194 adolescents from an inpatient unit and assigned them to one of four attachment groups (secure, preoccupied, dismissing, or disorganized attachment). Interview and self-report measures were used to create four variables reflecting the presence or absence of suicidal ideation in the last year, single lifetime suicide attempt, multiple lifetime suicide attempts, and lifetime self-harm. Results: Chi-square and regression analyses did not reveal significant relations between attachment organization and SRTB, although findings did confirm previously established relations between psychopathology and SRTB, such that internalizing disorder was associated with increased self-harm, suicide ideation, and suicide attempt and externalizing disorder was associated with increased self-harm. Conclusion: The severity of this sample and methodological differences from previous studies may explain the nonsignificant findings. Nonsignificant findings may indicate that the relation between attachment organization and SRTB is moderated by other factors that should be explored in future research.

The Relationship Between Attachment Orientations and University Adjustment Among Freshmen: Mediating Role of Perceived Stress

2020 ◽  
pp. 152102512096201
Author(s):  
Ayşe I. Kural ◽  
Berrin Özyurt
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Attachment Security ◽  
Attachment Anxiety ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Management Skills ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Attachment Orientations ◽  
University Adjustment ◽  
The Relationship

In the current study, we examine the novel hypothesis that perceived stress is a mechanism through which the relationship between attachment orientations and university adjustment can be explained. Present study explored both attachment orientations and perceived stress regarding adjustment; and perceived stress as mediator for the relationship between attachment orientations and adjustment among in 277 university freshmen. Attachment anxiety and avoidance positively correlated with perceived stress whereas resulted in poor university adjustment. Perceived stress partially mediated the relationship between attachment anxiety and poor university adjustment. The findings suggest that enhancing attachment security and stress management skills among insecurely attached students may lead to greater university adjustment.

Bridging the attachment transmission gap: The role of maternal mind-mindedness

2003 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 355-365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annie Bernier ◽  
Mary Dozier
Keyword(s):  
Intergenerational Transmission ◽  
Adult Attachment ◽  
Foster Children ◽  
Predictive Power ◽  
Attachment Security ◽  
Infant Attachment ◽  
Attachment Research ◽  
State Of Mind ◽  
Age Appropriate

The intergenerational transmission of attachment patterns is one of the most reliable yet least understood findings of attachment research. The aim of this report was to examine the capacity of maternal mind-mindedness to account for the relation between adult attachment state of mind and infant attachment security. Sixty-four foster children (aged 6–30 months) participated with their foster mothers. The mother’s tendency to use mental features in describing her child (mindmindedness) was negatively related to the security of both maternal state of mind and infant attachment. Further, mind-mindedness accounted for the totality of the predictive power of state of mind on infant attachment. The results suggest that age-appropriate representations of the child may help explain intergenerational transmission, through their interplay with parental interactive behaviours.

Different effects of attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance on depressive symptoms: A meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (12) ◽  
pp. 3028-3050
Author(s):  
Leying Zheng ◽  
Yadan Luo ◽  
Xu Chen
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Adult Attachment ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Cultural Orientation ◽  
Attachment Anxiety ◽  
Attachment Avoidance ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Attachment Dimensions ◽  
Significant Moderator

Although insecure adult attachment is thought to be associated with depressive symptoms, results of research on the link between attachment dimensions (attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance) and depressive symptoms have been inconsistent. The aim of this study was to use meta-analysis to examine the strength of the correlations between the two attachment dimensions and depressive symptoms. A total of 64 papers and 78 independent samples were included in this meta-analysis. Results showed significant associations between both attachment dimensions and depressive symptoms. Additional analyses indicated that attachment anxiety was more strongly related to depressive symptoms, whereas attachment avoidance was weakly related to depressive symptoms. Cultural orientation and sex were found to moderate the relationship between attachment anxiety and depressive symptoms. Age was a significant moderator of the relationships between both attachment anxiety and avoidance and depressive symptoms. Results of the meta-analysis and the implications were discussed.

scholarly journals Adult attachment and relationship satisfaction: The mediating role of gratitude toward the partner

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 3875-3886 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manja Vollmann ◽  
Sem Sprang ◽  
Femke van den Brink
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Couples Therapy ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Attachment Anxiety ◽  
Attachment Avoidance ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Cross Sectional Design

Previous research indicated that insecure attachment, that is, higher levels of attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety, is negatively associated with relationship satisfaction. The present study investigated the mediating role of gratitude toward the partner in this association. In a cross-sectional design, 362 participants (84% female, age range 18–70 years) involved in a romantic relationship completed an online questionnaire assessing attachment avoidance and anxiety, gratitude toward the partner, and relationship satisfaction. Data were analyzed by means of regression and bootstrap analyses. The regression analysis revealed significant negative total and direct effects of both avoidance and anxiety on relationship satisfaction. The bootstrap analyses revealed a significant negative indirect effect of avoidance, but not anxiety, on relationship satisfaction via gratitude toward the partner. Specifically, higher levels of avoidant attachment were related to less gratitude toward the partner, which in turn was associated with lower relationship satisfaction. These findings suggest that it might be valuable applying gratitude interventions to clients high in attachment avoidance attending couples therapy.

Proximity and distance goals in adult attachment

2008 ◽  
Vol 22 (8) ◽  
pp. 675-694 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marieke Dewitte ◽  
Jan De Houwer
Keyword(s):  
Adult Attachment ◽  
Implicit Association Test ◽  
Association Test ◽  
Attachment Anxiety ◽  
Implicit Association ◽  
Attachment Avoidance ◽  
Implicit Motivation ◽  
Motivational Constructs ◽  
Goal Activation ◽  
Implicit And Explicit

We used a variant of the Implicit Association Test (IAT) and explicit reports to examine the assumption that attachment anxiety and avoidance are related to proximity and distance goals. Results confirmed that attachment avoidance was associated with a stronger implicit motivation for and positive evaluation of distance goals in attachment relationships. This was found both at the implicit and explicit levels and both in a threat and non‐threat context. Attachment anxiety was associated with proximity goals only when measured explicitly, but not when goal activation was measured implicitly. Our findings highlight the importance of considering both implicit and explicit goal representations when studying motivational processes in the context of attachment, and suggest that the IAT can provide a useful tool for investigating implicit motivational constructs. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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