Attachment-related psychodynamics

Because there has been relatively little communication and cross-fertilization between the two major lines of research on adult attachment, one based on coded narrative assessments of defensive processes, the other on simple self-reports of ‘attachment style’ in close relationships, we here explain and review recent work based on a combination of self-report and other kinds of method, including behavioral observations and unconscious priming techniques. The review indicates that considerable progress has been made in testing central hypotheses derived from attachment theory and in exploring unconscious, psychodynamic processes related to affect-regulation and attachment-system activation. The combination of self-report assessment of attachment style and experimental manipulation of other theoretically pertinent variables allows researchers to test causal hypotheses. We present a model of normative and individual-difference processes related to attachment and identify areas in which further research is needed and likely to be successful. One long-range goal is to create a more complete theory of personality built on attachment theory and other object relations theories.     

Early attachment and maternal insightfulness predict educational placement of children with autism

We examined whether mothers’ insightfulness – their capacity to “see things from the child's point of view” – and children's attachment, both assessed during the preschool years, are associated with the educational placement of children with ASD in middle childhood and early adolescence beyond the prediction offered by children's IQ and interactive competence. 39 boys with autism and their mothers participated. We assessed mothers’ insightfulness, and children's attachment to their mothers, their intelligence and their interactional competencies. The results supported our hypothesis. The emotional quality of the relationship between the children and their mothers during the preschool age, as reflected in the mothers’ insightfulness and the children's attachment security, predicted children's educational placement in inclusive programs 4.5 and 8.5 years later, over and above the prediction offered by children's IQ and their interactive competence.     

Attachment parenting: an exploration of demographics and practices

The goal of this study was to identify parenting behaviors practiced by a self‐selected group of North American parents who identify themselves as attachment parents. This type of parenting is based on behaviors that are focused on infant needs and demands perhaps more strongly than are traditional mainstream western parenting practices. However, little is known about the demographics of the parents or the actual parameters of their behaviors. In order to further investigate these behaviors, a self‐report questionnaire was developed for use in the study. This questionnaire was included, without return postage, in an international parenting magazine, Compleat Mother. A sample of 275 mothers returned the instrument. Respondents were predominantly married, college educated and White. The respondents reported that of their infants the majority were exclusively breastfed on the infant’s cue and for an extended period of time, coslept and were held or nursed during the transition to sleep. These practices are discussed through a cross‐cultural perspective.     

Interdependence of attachment styles and relationship quality in parent-adolescent dyads

The current study examined how attachment styles of parents and adolescents may jointly influence the quality of their relationship. Parent-adolescent (N_dyads = 77) pairs were recruited from a Midwestern town in the United States. The mean of adolescents' age was 16.25. Both members reported their attachment styles, relationship closeness, and relationship discord. The Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) showed that both members' attachment avoidance was associated with self-report lower levels of closeness. Parents' attachment anxiety was related to relationship discord. Parents with higher avoidant attachment reported lower closeness when adolescents were higher in avoidant attachment. Higher parents' anxious attachment was related to higher relationship closeness when adolescents were higher on anxious attachment. Such an association was negative when adolescents had lower anxious attachment. Higher parents’ anxious attachment was related to greater discord when adolescents were lower on anxiety attachment. This study reveals the complex dyadic dynamics of relationship quality in parent-adolescent pairs.     

自主性、依恋与初中生偶像崇拜的关系

目的：探讨自主性、依恋与初中生偶像崇拜之间的关系。方法：采用情绪自主性量表、依恋量表和偶像崇拜量表对192名初中生进行了问卷调查。结果：年龄、情绪自主性、依恋的同伴因子、依恋的沟通因子与初中生偶像崇拜呈显著性正相关（ r＝0．354～0．562）,依恋的父母因子、信任因子和疏远因子与初中生偶像崇拜呈显著性负相关（r＝－0．257～－0．443）;回归分析显示,年龄对初中生偶像崇拜具有一定的预测作用（R2＝30．6）;高度的情绪自主性、高同伴依恋和低父母依恋能有效地预测初中生的偶像崇拜（β＝0．243,0．387,－0．184;P均＝0．001）;低信任和低疏远能很好地预测初中生偶像崇拜的强烈个人化倾向（β＝－0．339,－0．291;P均＝0．001）。结论：媒体偶像为初中生从父母依恋向同伴依恋过渡提供了一个＂虚假的第二朋友群体＂,对单一偶像的强烈依恋不利于初中生发展。     

Attachment,affective temperament,and personality disorders: A study of their relationships in psychiatric outpatients

Background

As the result of extensive translational and cross-disciplinary research, attachment theory is now a construct with significant neuropsychiatric traction. The correlation of attachment with other influential conceptual models (i.e. temperament and personality) is therefore of interest. Consequently, we explored how two attachment dimensions (attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance) correlated with measures of temperament and personality in 357 psychiatric outpatients.

Methods

We performed a retrospective review of four questionnaires (the Experiences in Close Relationship scale (ECR-R), Temperament and Character inventory (TCI), Temperament Evaluation of the Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego questionnaire (TEMPS-A), and Personality Self-Portrait Questionnaire (PSQ)). Frequency measures and correlations were examined, as was the predictive value of attachment security for a personality disorder (PD).

Results

Significant, robust correlations were found between attachment anxiety and (1) several negative affective temperaments (dysthymic and cyclothymic); (2) several indices of personality pathology (low self-directedness (TCI), DSM-IV paranoid, borderline, histrionic, avoidant and dependent personality traits). Attachment avoidance had fewer large correlations. In an exploratory model, the negative predictive value of attachment security for a PD was 86%.

Limitations

Subjects were a relatively homogeneous subset of ambulatory psychiatric outpatients. PD diagnoses were via self-report.

Conclusions

Clinically, these findings highlight the significant overlap between attachment, affective temperament, and personality and support the value of attachment as a screen for PDs. More broadly, given our growing understanding of the neurobiology of attachment (i.e. links with the oxytocin system), these results raise interesting questions about underlying biological systems and psychiatric treatment.     

Attachment style and immunity: A 1-year longitudinal study

Previous cross-sectional studies suggested an association between attachment-related avoidance and altered immune function. We aimed at testing this hypothesis with longitudinal data. A random sample of 65 female nurses provided a blood sample and completed measures of perceived stress, social support, alexithymia, and attachment style. Immune assays included lymphocyte proliferative response (LPR) to Phytohemagglutinin and NK cell cytotoxicity (NKCC). State measures (perceived stress and support) and immune measures were collected again after 4, 8, and 12 months. Linear mixed effects models were used to examine the relationship between attachment and immunity. While low to moderate levels of attachment-related avoidance were not associated with NKCC, there was a significant negative association (beta −.35; p = .005) between high levels of avoidance and NKCC. No association was observed between NKCC and attachment-related anxiety, and between LPR and both attachment dimensions. While our findings should be interpreted with caution due to study limitations such as the relatively small sample size and the inclusion of only female participants, they corroborate the notion that attachment is linked to physiology and health.