Study on the relativity among the attachment type, alexitymia and defense style of depression patients / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo evaluate the attachment type,the level of alexitymia and the defense style of depression patients and their relativity.Methods 32 depression patients were assessed with the adult attachment scale (AAS-1996 Revised Edition),toronto alexithymia scale (TAS) and defense style questionnaire( DSQ),and 80 healthy people were involved as controls.Results The depression patients showed significantly different attachment type from the control group( x2 =47.6,P ＜ 0.01 ).Compare with the control group,the depression patients showed higher scores in immature defense style( (5.47 ± 1.13 ) vs (3.79 ± 1.09 ) ) and neurotic defense style( (4.93 ±0.56) vs (4.20 ± 1.00),(P＜0.01) ).Compared with controls,the depression patients showed higher scores in TAS total score( (76.88 ± 8.94) vs (65.70 ± 7.98 ) ) factor Ⅰ ( ( 3.34 ± 0.77 ) vs ( 2.41 ±0.78)) and factor Ⅱ ((3.64 ±0.51) vs (2.65 ±0.55),P＜0.01),and lower scores in factor Ⅲ((2.51 ±0.78) vs (3.14 ± 1.03 ),P ＜ 0.01 ).The depression patients' adult attachment was significantly correlative with their scores of alexithymia.The depression patients' adult attachment was also significantly correlative with their scores of defense style.ConclusionThe attachment of depression patients may lead to depression via their defense style.Depression leads to alexitymia.Depression patients with different features of attachment show different level of alexitymia.