Attachment - Vzťahová väzba

Radovan Hrubý, Jozef Hašto

Antonia Bifulco, Junghye Kwon, Catherine Jacobs, Patricia M. Moran, Amanda Bunn, Nils Beer
Abstract Background There has been little pro-spective investigation of the relationship between adult attachment style and clinical levels of anxiety and major depression. This paper seeks to address this, as well as examining the potentially mediating role of adult insecure attachment styles in the rela-tionship between childhood adverse experience and adult disorder. Methods 154 high-risk community women studied in 1990–1995, were followed-up in 1995–1999 to test the role of insecure attachment style in predicting new episodes of anxiety and/or major depressive disorder. The Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse (CECA) and the Attachment Style Interview (ASI) were administered at first interview and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) administered at first and follow-up interview. Major depression and clinical level anxiety disorders (GAD, Social Phobia or Panic and/or Agoraphobia) were assessed at first contact and for the intervening follow-up period. Results 55% (85/154) of the women had at least one case level disorder in the follow-up period. Only markedly or moderately (but not mildly) insecure attachment styles predicted both major depression and case anxiety in follow-up. Some specificity was determined with Fearful style signifi-cantly associated both with depression and Social

Marian J. Bakermans-Kranenburg, Marinus H. van IJzendoorn, and Femmie Juffer
Leiden University
Is early preventive intervention effective in enhancing parental sensitivity and infant attachment security, and if so, what type of intervention is most successful? Seventy studies were traced, producing 88 intervention effects on sensitivity (n = 7,636) and/or attachment (n = 1,503). Randomized interventions appeared rather effective in changing insensitive parenting (d = 0.33) and infant attachment insecurity (d = 0.20). The most effective interventions used a moderate number of sessions and a clear-cut behavioral focus in families with, as well as without, multiple problems. Interventions that were more effective in enhancing parental sensitivity were also more effective in enhancing attachment security, which supports the notion of a causal role of sensitivity in shaping attachment.

Peter Fonagy, Nicolas Lorenzini, Chloe Campbell and Patrick Luyten
Introduction: Attachment theory describes the ways in which individuals handle their most inti-mate relationships with their parents, children and life-partners: their attachment figures. When people are at their most vulnerable, frightened or unwell, they will, in different ways, seek comfort and help. This seeking out of help, and the dif-ferent styles used to obtain help, constitute the attachment process. Attachment, at an evolutionary level, is a basic adaptation for survival - it is the mechanism by which babies elicit essential care. As we understand more, however, about the interface of brain development and early psychosocial experience it becomes clear that the evolutionary role of the attachment relationship goes far beyond giving physical protection to the human infant.

Angelo Picardia, Rossella Migliob, Lorenzo Tarsitanic, Francesca Battistid, Maurizio Baldassarie,
Alfredo Copertarof, Eugenio Mocchegianig, Isabella Cascavillaa, Massimo Biondic
Abstract: 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=0.005) 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.

PAOLA SURCINELLI, NICOLINO ROSSI, ORNELLA MONTEBAROCCI, BRUNO BALDARO
University of Bologna
ABSTRACT. The aim of the present study was to examine differences in anxiety and depression related to differences in attachment models of the self and of others and whether personality traits mediate this relationship. The authors assessed attachment styles, anxiety, depression, and personality traits among 274 adult volunteers. Participants were classified into 4 attachment groups (secure, preoccupied, fearful, and dismissing–avoidant) according to K. Bartholomew’s (1990) model. The present authors found significant differences among attachment groups on anxiety and depressive symptoms with attachment styles involving a negative self-model showing higher scores than attachment styles characterized by a positive self-model. The authors also found that differences between attachment styles in anxiety and depression remained significant when personality factors related to attachment prototypes were entered as covariates. Results indicate that secure attachment in adults was associated with better mental health, while insecure attachment styles characterized by negative thinking about the self were associated with higher depression and anxiety scores. Our findings seem to evidence that attachment and personality are only partly overlapping and that attachment cannot be considered as redundant with personality in the explanation of psychological disease.