Adverse childhood experiences and psychopathology in adolescents from northern Chile: the moderating role of the attachment style

Abstract Background Identifying the underlying mechanisms through which adverse childhood experiences affect (ACEs) the mental health of adolescents is of paramount importance for disease prevention in later stages of life. Objective The present study examines the relationship between ACEs and psychopathology in adolescents from northern Chile and how attachment style (abandonment anxiety and intimacy avoidance) may moderate this relationship. A total of 154 schooled adolescents aged 12 to 17 (M = 15.08, SD = 1.64) completed a series of self-report questionnaires including the Adverse Childhood Experience Questionnaire (ACEs), Experiences in Close Relationships-Relationship Structures (ECR-RS), and Youth Self Report (YSR-18). Results The data analysis was carried out using SPSS version 25, which included descriptive analysis, one-way ANOVA, and Spearman correlation analysis. To address moderation analysis, the PROCESS macro extension version 4.1 was employed. In this process, the bootstrap method was applied to construct confidence intervals, and the pick-a-point approach was used to define the levels of the moderating variable. According to the results, 80.3% of the sample experienced one or more ACEs, and 16.4% reported experiencing at least three. Furthermore, the variables under study exhibited significant correlations with each other, except for intimacy avoidance, which showed no correlation with ACEs (rho = −0.10; p = 0.273). When considering abandonment anxiety as a moderating variable, the direct effect of ACEs on externalizing symptoms showed statistically significant changes (β = 0.60, p = 0.03). No other moderating effects were found according to the proposed models. Conclusion In childhood, the accumulation of ACEs is associated with the development of psychopathology in adolescents from northern Chile, specifically with the presence of internalizing and externalizing symptoms. These findings suggest that lower levels of abandonment anxiety could mitigate the effects of ACEs on adolescent psychopathology, while higher levels of abandonment anxiety could exacerbate these effects on psychopathology.

Attachment styles of People Living with HIV/AIDS / Estilos de Apego de Pessoas vivendo com HIV/AIDS

Abstract Factors that involve the dynamics in interpersonal relationships and may have consequences in health are still little explored in people living with HIV/AIDS. The aim was to identify the evidences of literature regarding adult attachment style and HIV. It is an Integrative literature review. Seven databases were explored, using the combination of key words and Boolean connectors: "Attachment Style OR Object Attachment AND HIV". A reasonable number of articles addressed attachment among people with HIV as a mediator to post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and stress. The prevalence of insecure attachment in this group was high. Evidence was also found in relation to the attachment as an important factor to adaptation to the diagnosis of HIV, attachment and behavior in interpersonal relationships, and emphasize the possibility of changing the attachment style.

Resumo Fatores que envolvem a dinâmica nos relacionados interpessoais e podem ter consequências na saúde ainda são pouco explorados em Pessoas vivendo com HIV/AIDS. O objetivo desse estudo é identificar as evidências na literatura relacionando estilo de apego e HIV em adultos. Trata-se de uma revisão integrativa de literatura. Sete bases de dados foram exploradas, usando a combinação das palavras-chave e dos seguintes conectores booleanos em inglês: "Attachment Style OR Object Attachment AND HIV". Um número razoável de artigos abordou o vínculo entre pessoas com HIV como mediador de transtorno de estresse pós-traumático, depressão e estresse. A prevalência de apego inseguro nesse grupo foi alta. Evidências mostram ainda a relação entre apego e a adaptação ao diagnóstico de HIV, apego e estilos de comportamento nos relacionamentos, e destacam ainda a possibilidade de modificação do tipo de apego.

Attachment, perceived social support and mental health problems in women with primary infertility

Background: Infertility is one of the fastest growing concerns when it comes to reproductive health and most often, women get the blame. Consequently, females suffer from major psycho-social and emotional problems that may lead to serious mental health concerns.Methods: To fill the gap in literature, a cross-sectional research design was used to measure the attachment styles with spouse, perceived social support, and predict mental health problems in women attending infertility clinics with ages ranging from 19-45 (M 27.21, SD 4.79). Adult Attachment Questionnaire, Multidimensional Perceived Social Support, and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale were used among experimental subjects selected through purposive sampling technique.Results: About 32% women reported themselves as secure, 49% as ambivalent, and 19% as avoidant in their attachment style with spouse. The results revealed that a significant negative correlation exists between perceived social support and mental health problems among women with infertility. Moreover, women who identify their attachment pattern as Ambivalent perceive less social support and experience more mental health problems.Conclusions: Education is one of the strongest predictors of how likely infertility is to cause mental health issues while Attachment style is another strong indicator since infertile women with secure attachment pattern have fewer mental health problems. However, the sample size was modest to make any wide-scale assumptions, so further trials with larger participant pools must be performed. Additionally, future studies should include both rural and urban samples with different psychological variables to find the similarities and differences between various groups of people with diverse backgrounds.

The Effect of Community-Based Parent Education Program on Parenting Stress According to Adult Attachment Styles

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to measure the effect of a group-based parent education program on parenting stress and attitude and comparing the same according to adult attachment styles.

K-means Cluster of Personality in predicting self-care activities in Diabetes Mellitus: a cross sectional study

Background: Explosive growth of Social Networking Sites (SNS) have impacted every sphere of a youthslife be it academics or personal relationships. There has been an escalation of research worldwide in thisarea though it is negligible in India. The present research seeks to fulfil this lacuna by studying the impactof SNS use on sleep, academic achievement, concentration, self esteem and personal relationships onIndian youth.Methodology: The sample consisted of students from junior and degree colleges in Mumbai belonging tothe age group of 16 to 22 years, equal number of male and female students was selected. They wereadministered a self-formulated questionnaire consisting of 24 questions, which measured their SNS usehabits and its impact on sleep, academics, concentration, self esteem and social relationships in terms ofgender differences and education level. The scores obtained were subjected to ‘t’ test. A significant ‘t’ valueof was found for gender differences but not for junior and degree college students.Results: Results indicated that the bio-psychosocial factors of males were affected more by SNS use thanthe females and there was no difference in the impact of bio-psychosocial factors of junior and degreecollege students who were SNS users. The mean scores were 16.60, 16.32 and 15.64 foracademics/sleep/concentration, relationship and self esteem respectively. Hence the maximum impact ofSNS use was seen on academic/sleep/concentration followed by relationship and lastly self esteem.Conclusions: Thus, the burgeoning nature of SNS does impact the youth in some aspects of their life as ithas become a core of all the forms of communication

Adult Attachment Style and Marital Satisfaction – an exploratory study

Background: Marital satisfaction is an important element for successful family life and personal growth.Various factors have significant effects on the marital satisfaction, like financial management, personalityissues, equalitarian roles, religious orientation, sexual relationship etc. In recent times there has been a risein divorce rates, couples living separately, couples dissatisfied with their marriage, etc. This could possiblybe because of individuals having different attachment styles entering into a relationship. Basic propositionof attachment theory is that internal models of attachment (starting right from infancy) remain relativelystable across the life span.Methods: We interviewed 50 consecutive consenting clinically stable patients with schizophrenia (BPRSscore < 31) and depressive episode (HDRS score < 08) following up in psychiatry OPD. MontrealCognitive Assessment (MoCA) was used to assess cognition, Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS) foranhedonia and WHOQOL-BREF for the quality of life in participants.Results: This study examined links between adult attachment style and marriage satisfaction in Indianadults. 24 participants (13 females and 11 males) aged 25-45 years (Mean = 35.35, SD = 6.01117),completed the Revised Adult Attachment Style (RAAS) (Collins,1996) and ENRICH Marital SatisfactionScale (EMS) (Fowers & Olson, 1993). All the participants were heterosexual and marriedConclusion:Results indicated that participants having Secure attachment style were more satisfied withtheir marriage than participants having Insecure (Fearful, Preoccupied, Dismissive) attachment style

A Comparative Study of Attachment Style and Personality Traits in Women with Marital Infidelity Experience and Those Who Didn’t Have Such an Experience.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the differences between Attachment Style and Personality traits in women who faced marital infidelity and those who didn’t. Each component can play a significant role in promoting the marital relationships and reducing the marital infidelity. Methods: The present research is a casual-comparative study. The study sample consisted of all married women who refer to Welfare Divorce Reduce centers in Tehran province because of infidelity. Of these, 120 married women are selected among which 60 women experienced infidelity and 60 of them didn’t experience marital infidelity. Data collection tool was short form of Adult Attachment Questionnaire (AAQ) and NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO –SF). Data analysis was performed by using SPSS software and using statistical descriptions (frequency, tendency to center of index and dispersion index) and statistical analysis method was ANOVA. Results: According to the results of this study, the hypotheses were confirmed. In other words, there is a significant different between the components of Attachment Style and Personality traits in women who had infidelity and those didn’t face infidelity in their marriage. Each of the components of Attachment Style and Personality traits can be a predictor of marital dissatisfaction and infidelity. Conclusion: women with Avoidant attachment and Neuroticismtrait showed the highest percentage of entering into marital infidelity. It seems that determination of Attachment Style and Personality traits for each of the couples before marriage can be a contributing factors in improving marital relations.

The Intervening Role of Alexithymia in the Relationship between Attachment Styles and Test Anxiety among Gifted High School Students / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: Given the importance of test anxiety among gifted students, the present study was conducted to assess the intervening role of alexithymia in the relationship between test anxiety and attachment styles. METHODS: By means of simple random sampling, 300 participants were selected out of all the students at two high schools in Khorramabad, which are affiliated with the Iranian National Organization for Development of Exceptional Talents (SAMPAD). Test anxiety, alexithymia, and attachment style questionnaires were used for data collection. Pearson correlation and path analysis tests were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The results showed a positive relationship between test anxiety and avoidant and anxious attachment styles. Alexithymia and test anxiety were also positively related. Moreover, the results indicated that 12% of changes in test anxiety were explained by avoidant and anxious attachment styles as well as alexithymia. The relationship between the avoidant attachment style and test anxiety was 0.06 through alexithymia. However, no significant relationship between anxious attachment and test anxiety through alexithymia was found. CONCLUSION: The avoidant attachment style leads to test anxiety when the level of alexithymia increases in an individual.

The Correlation between Maternal Adult Attachment Style and Postpartum Depression and Parenting Stress / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to determine whether the adult attachment styles of pregnant women could predict development of postpartum depression. METHODS: Korean version of Revised Adult Attachment Scale, State Trait Anxiety Inventory-State/Trait (STAI-S/T), and Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) were administered at baseline. Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Parenthood Stress Questionnaire (PSQ), STAI-S, and CES-D were assessed at week 2 and 6 postpartum. Participants were categorized into the secure-mom (SM ; n=48) or insecure-mom (IM ; n=9) group. RESULTS: While STAI-S scores in SM showed a continuous decrease during the entire observation period, STAI-S scores in IM decreased during the first two weeks but increased during the next four weeks. While SM showed decreased CES-D scores from week 2 to 6, IM showed increased CES-D scores from week 2 to 6. Although SM showed decreased EPDS scores from week 2 to 6, IM showed increased EPDS scores from week 2 to 6. In SM, the change in EDPS score from week 2 to week 6 showed positive correlation with PSQ-ability and PSQ-social subscale scores. CONCLUSION: Assessing the maternal adult attachment style before giving birth appears to be helpful for screening the high-risk group who are vulnerable to development of postpartum depression.

La incidencia del estilo de apego en las representaciones de los adolescentes que transgreden la ley penal / The impact of attachment style representations of teenage criminal law transgresses

Las consideraciones que aquí se reflejan, encuentran directa relación con la investigación UBACYT denominada “Estudio de las representaciones en adolescentes en conflicto con la ley penal” (código 20020090100187), la que se encuentra actualmente en la etapa final de su desarrollo. El abordaje de la transgresión penal en la adolescencia implica una acción integral a nivel político, comunitario e institucional.Las instituciones que abordan esta población específica son dispositivos complejos, que son confrontados con la exigencia social y política de dar respuesta eficaz y eficiente a una problemática compleja. Frente a éste escenario se hace necesario crear una base teórica de intervención desde la cual los profesionales que se desempeñan en el sector puedan realizar una contribución real y efectiva, mediante estrategias de intervención eficientes y con sustento académico. Será entonces pertinente una profundización teórico-conceptual que contribuya a la elaboración de mejores prácticas institucionales, brindando una mayor comprensión de los procesos psicológicos presentes en el adolescente transgresor.

Estilos de apego y representaciones maternas durante el embarazo / Attachment style and maternal representations during pregnancy

Various authors support the theory that the mother-child bond begins in gestation, through a mental representation which the mother constructs during pregnancy. This image would be based on their own childhood experience, which lays the foundation for the transgenerational transmission of the attachment relationship type that will be formed. Objective: To study the relationship between the pregnant mother's history of attachment and her attachment style during pregnancy, including the types of images formed about her future son or daughter as well as herself as a mother. Patients and Method: Three first time pregnant women with different attachment styles were identified through the Parental Bonding Instrument. An in-depth interview was performed with each individual. Flick's adaptation of Grounded Theory was applied during data analysis. Results show that differences exist both in the thematic contents as in the quality, quantity and coherence of their representations depending upon the attachment style. Discussion: These results contribute to the knowledge of the representational world of the pregnant woman, allowing for improved prenatal interventions that will promote secure mother-child attachment.

De acuerdo a diversos autores, el vínculo madre-hijo se inicia desde la gestación, a través de las representaciones que la madre va construyendo durante el embarazo. Dichas representaciones estarían ancladas en su propia experiencia de apego en la infancia, lo que sentaría las bases de la transmisión transgeneracional de los vínculos de apego. Objetivo: Determinar la relación entre el estilo de apego de la madre y el tipo de representaciones que ésta construye acerca del hijo en gestación, de sí misma como madre y de su propia historia de apego, durante el embarazo. Pacientes y Método: Estudio cualitativo con análisis interpretativo de los datos. Se seleccionaron 3 mujeres primigestas, con distintos estilos vinculares, identificados a través del Parental Bondig Instrument, a las cuales se les realizó una entrevista semi-estructurada, en función de una pauta guía que contenía los principales ejes teóricos del estudio. Para el análisis de los datos, se utilizó la adaptación de Flick de la Grounded Theory. Resultados: Los resultados muestran que existen diferencias tanto en los contenidos temáticos, como en la calidad, cantidad y coherencia de las representaciones maternas, dependiendo del estilo vincular. Conclusión: Los resultados aportan al conocimiento del mundo representacional de la mujer embarazada, lo cual permite el desarrollo de intervenciones prenatales para promover el establecimiento apego seguro madre-hijo.

The Relationship between Attachment Style, Alexithymia, Marital Satisfaction and Depressive Symptoms / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we examined the relationship between attachment style, alexithymia, marital satisfaction, and depressive symptoms in married couples. METHODS: We administered the Korean version of Experiences in Close Relationships questionnaire-Revised (K-ECR-R), Korean version of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20K), Revised-Dyadic Adjustment Scale (R-DAS), Korean version of the Beck Depression Inventory (K-BDI), and to 105 men and 115 women in the community. The data was analyzed with correlation analysis between related variables, and the regression analysis method of Baron and Kenny (1986) was used. RESULTS: The current study assumes that alexithymia mediates between attachment style and marital satisfaction, and these factors influence depressive symptoms. The results were as follows : 1) alexithymia mediated perfectly between attachment anxiety style and marital satisfaction and 2) alexithymia, and marital satisfaction had significant influences on depressive symptoms. Attachment avoidance style was excluded for dissatisfaction with the assumption of the regression analysis method of Baron and Kenny (1986). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that attachment style, alexithymia, and marital satisfaction seem to be important factors in depressive symptoms among married people. These results suggest that different interventions according to attachment style may helpful for the enhancement of marital satisfaction and the reduction of the depressive symptoms of married couples.

Relations between Worry, Attachment Styles and Perceived Parental Rearing in Primary School Children

BACKGROUND: Worry, a core feature of anxiety disorder, is shown in not only children with anxiety disorder but also normal children. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between worry and family environment factors, especially, perceived parental rearing and attachment styles among children. METHODS: Five hundred and nine children participated in this study among 549 children in third, fourth, fifth and sixth grades in two primary schools located in Seoul and Seongnam from October 2007 to December 2007. Forty children did not agree with participation (rejection rate: 7.3%). Their degrees of worry, attachment styles and perceived parental rearing were investigated with questionnaires. RESULTS: The reliability of a questionnaire asking children's worry, PSWQ-C and a questionnaire asking perceived parental rearing, modified EMBU-C was appropriate with internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha of PSWQ-C: 0.92, Cronbach's alpha of modified EMBU-C: 0.68~0.89). Around 22.4% of children had insecure attachment (avoidant or ambivalent attachment) and scores of worry were high in both girls and boys. When children perceived their parental rearing behavior as anxious rearing, they were classified to have ambivalent attachment in many cases by themselves. And when they perceived the rearing as rejection many of them were classified to have avoidant or ambivalent attachment by themselves. Worry showed a significantly negative correlation in the cases where children answered their perceived parental rearing as emotional warmth and showed a significantly positive correlation with rejective and anxious rearing. CONCLUSION: This study found that children's worry was closely related with their perceived parental rearing and attachment styles. If the children's attachment, which has been developed while they have grown up, was insecure and they did not perceive parental rearing as emotional warmth, the intensity of worry, a core symptom of anxiety disorder, increased.

Family Influence on Children's Development of Attachment Style / 中国临床心理学杂志

Parents and family background cast important influence on children's attachment style. Studies have consistently showed positive relations between maternal sensitivity and infant attachment security. Warm and harmonious family was also found to be an important factor. On the contrary, parents' poor marital status and high level of stress in family would result in insecure attachment style in children.