Insecure Attachment Insecure Attachment and Emotion and Emotion DysregulationDysregulation

András Láng, MAAndrás Láng, MA

Institute of Educational Institute of Educational PsychologyPsychology

University of PécsUniversity of Pécs

Structure of the Structure of the PresentationPresentation

IntroductionIntroduction Attachment and Emotion RegulationAttachment and Emotion Regulation

– Attachment and AlexithymiaAttachment and Alexithymia– Attachment and AnxietyAttachment and Anxiety

StudyStudy– MethodMethod– ResultsResults

DiscussionDiscussion

IntroductionIntroduction

Bowlby and Ainsworth – attachment Bowlby and Ainsworth – attachment theorytheory

Framework for understanding Framework for understanding personality developmentpersonality development

From 1980s adult attachment From 1980s adult attachment „boom”„boom”

Four-category bidimensional Four-category bidimensional model of adult attachmentmodel of adult attachment

Griffin & Bartholomew (1994)Griffin & Bartholomew (1994)High avoidance

Low avoidance

Low

anxiety

High

anxiety

DISMISSIVE

(+,-)

SECURE

(+,+)

FEARFUL

(-,-)

PREOCCUPIED

(-,+)

Attachment and Emotion Attachment and Emotion Regulation I.Regulation I.

Definition – Gross (1998, p. 275):Definition – Gross (1998, p. 275):

„„Emotion regulation refers to the Emotion regulation refers to the process by which individuals process by which individuals influence which emotions they have, influence which emotions they have, when they have them, and how they when they have them, and how they experience and expree these experience and expree these emotions.”emotions.”

Attachment and Emotion Attachment and Emotion Regulation II.Regulation II.

Two of five aspects of the definition (in Two of five aspects of the definition (in connection with attachment theory):connection with attachment theory):

This definition – self-regulation, BUT This definition – self-regulation, BUT others highlight interpersonal others highlight interpersonal regulationregulation

Emotion regulation spectrumEmotion regulation spectrum– Controlled to unconsciousControlled to unconscious

Attachment and Emotion Attachment and Emotion Regulation III.Regulation III.

Bowlby’s original interest in emotion Bowlby’s original interest in emotion and affect regulation:and affect regulation:

Investigation of species in emotionally Investigation of species in emotionally important life situations (separation, important life situations (separation, loss etc.) – emotional situationsloss etc.) – emotional situations

Protective function of attachment is Protective function of attachment is not only survival but self-regulation not only survival but self-regulation (well-being)(well-being)

Attachment and Emotion Attachment and Emotion Regulation IV.Regulation IV.

For studying emotion regulation two For studying emotion regulation two constructs were chosen:constructs were chosen:

AlexithymiaAlexithymia AnxietyAnxiety

Attachment and alexithymia Attachment and alexithymia I.I. Parker et al. (1989) alexithymia as a Parker et al. (1989) alexithymia as a

normal (non-clinical) constructnormal (non-clinical) construct– Considered as a personality dimenision (trait)Considered as a personality dimenision (trait)

Definition: „construct that refers to Definition: „construct that refers to emotion-relevant differences and is emotion-relevant differences and is characterized by the following two core characterized by the following two core features: (a) difficulty identifying one’s features: (a) difficulty identifying one’s feelings and distinguishing them from feelings and distinguishing them from bodily sensations and (b) communicating bodily sensations and (b) communicating one’s emotions to others” (Le et al., one’s emotions to others” (Le et al., 2002)2002)

Attachment and alexithymia Attachment and alexithymia II.II.

Connection – men and PTConnection – men and PT Men tend to avoid psychological help Men tend to avoid psychological help

seeking – mediated by traditional seeking – mediated by traditional masculinity ideology & alexithymiamasculinity ideology & alexithymia

Men in our culture mainly represent Men in our culture mainly represent avoidant attachmentavoidant attachment

→ → Hypothesis: connection between Hypothesis: connection between attachment avoidance and attachment avoidance and alexithymia alexithymia

Attachment and anxiety I.Attachment and anxiety I.

Examining anxious states imoprtantExamining anxious states imoprtant for for BowlbyBowlby – especially anxiety coming from – especially anxiety coming from separationseparation

AinswoAinsworrth and collegues (1978th and collegues (1978))– Strange Situation Strange Situation – Separation anxiety in both insecure Separation anxiety in both insecure

groupsgroups – TTwo different ways to deal with anxiety wo different ways to deal with anxiety

Attachment and anxiety II.Attachment and anxiety II. AvoidanAvoidantt -- supress supresses affectses affects

- - highly organized and rigid strategy highly organized and rigid strategy - - “deactivate“deactivatess” affects that ” affects that

would be would be disturbing for disturbing for himhim

AAnxinxious ous -- overwhelmed with affect overwhelmed with affect- - relative absence of structures for relative absence of structures for

regulating affectsregulating affects- - “hyperactivate“hyperactivatess” affect” affectss toto assure assure

comfort and care comfort and care

→→ Hypothesis:Hypothesis: connection of anxiety with both connection of anxiety with both dimensions, more strongly with attachment dimensions, more strongly with attachment anxietyanxiety

Study – Method I.Study – Method I.

Participants– 51 female and 39 male students (n=90) 51 female and 39 male students (n=90)

at University of Pécs at University of Pécs – age from 18 to 31 age from 18 to 31 yrs yrs (M=21,6)(M=21,6)

Procedure– Self-report packages were distributed by Self-report packages were distributed by

lecturers in teacher training and were lecturers in teacher training and were returned by students via internal mail.returned by students via internal mail.

– 90 out of 120 packages were returned90 out of 120 packages were returned

Study – Method II.Study – Method II. INSTRUMENTSINSTRUMENTS Demographic QuestionnaireDemographic Questionnaire - - personal datapersonal data

- - information on adult romantic relations information on adult romantic relations Attachment dimensionsAttachment dimensions

ECR-SECR-S (Brennan et al., 1998) (Brennan et al., 1998) - - two two dimensions measured aredimensions measured are in accordance in accordance with model of Griffin & Bartholomew (1994)with model of Griffin & Bartholomew (1994)::– attachment avoidanceattachment avoidance– attachment anxietyattachment anxiety

Study – Method III.Study – Method III. AlexithymiaAlexithymia

TAS-20 TAS-20 ( (Bagby et al., 1994). This scale has three Bagby et al., 1994). This scale has three sub-scales:sub-scales:– difficulty describing feelings difficulty describing feelings – difficulty identifying feelings difficulty identifying feelings – externally oriented thinkingexternally oriented thinking

AnxietyAnxiety- - 20 items regarding trait anxiety from STAI 20 items regarding trait anxiety from STAI ((Spielberger et al., 1970) to measure participants Spielberger et al., 1970) to measure participants experience of anxiety as a personality trait.experience of anxiety as a personality trait.- C- Collection of 13 somatic symptoms of anxiety ollection of 13 somatic symptoms of anxiety derived from DSM-IV (1994). Participants derived from DSM-IV (1994). Participants indicateindicatedd frequency of bodily symptoms (e.g. frequency of bodily symptoms (e.g. headache). These scores intend to indicate a less headache). These scores intend to indicate a less conscious, more self-focused aspect of anxiety.conscious, more self-focused aspect of anxiety.

Study – Results I.Study – Results I.

Total Total Alexi-Alexi-

thymiathymia

ScoresScores

Alexithymia SubscalesAlexithymia Subscales VegetativVegetative e

SymptomSymptoms of s of

Anxiety Anxiety

TraitTrait

Anxiety Anxiety DifficultyDifficulty

DescribinDescribingg

Feelings Feelings

DifficultyDifficulty

IdentifyinIdentifyingg

Feelings Feelings

ExternallExternally y

Oriented Oriented Thinking Thinking

AttachmenAttachment t AvoidanceAvoidance

r=0,43r=0,4377

p<0,00p<0,0011

r=0,449r=0,449

p<0,001p<0,001 r=0,184r=0,184

n.s. n.s. r=0,258r=0,258

p<0,05p<0,05 r=0,095r=0,095

n.s. n.s. r=0,22r=0,2255

p<0,05p<0,05

AttachmenAttachment Anxietyt Anxiety

r=0,27r=0,2777

p<0,01p<0,01

r=0,219r=0,219

p<0,05p<0,05 r=0,413r=0,413

p<0,001p<0,001 r=0,06r=0,06

n.s. n.s. r=0,304r=0,304

p<0,005p<0,005 0,5100,510

p<0,00p<0,0011

Study – Results II.Study – Results II.

ATTACHMENT AVOIDANCE correlated with:ATTACHMENT AVOIDANCE correlated with: Alexithymia (TAS-20) total scoresAlexithymia (TAS-20) total scores Difficulty Describing Feelings (TAS-20 subscale)Difficulty Describing Feelings (TAS-20 subscale) Externally Oriented Thinking (TAS-20 subscale)Externally Oriented Thinking (TAS-20 subscale) Trait Anxiety scores of STAITrait Anxiety scores of STAI

ATTACHMENT ANXIETY correlated with:ATTACHMENT ANXIETY correlated with: Alexithymia (TAS-20) total scoresAlexithymia (TAS-20) total scores Difficulty Describing Feelings (TAS-20 subscale)Difficulty Describing Feelings (TAS-20 subscale) Difficulty Identifying Feelings (TAS-20 subscale)Difficulty Identifying Feelings (TAS-20 subscale) Trait Anxiety scores of STAITrait Anxiety scores of STAI Somatic Symptoms of Anxiety scoresSomatic Symptoms of Anxiety scores

LimitationsLimitations

Non-clinical subjectsNon-clinical subjects

Methodological restraintsMethodological restraints– Self-report questionnaire – conscious Self-report questionnaire – conscious

emotion regulation strategiesemotion regulation strategies– Correlational statistics – no casual Correlational statistics – no casual

relationsrelations

Discussion I.Discussion I. Both attachment dimensions ~ alexithymia Both attachment dimensions ~ alexithymia →→ both both

connected with problems in dealing with emotions connected with problems in dealing with emotions Different Different subscale subscale ppatterns atterns →→ different sources different sources of of

emotion regulation problemsemotion regulation problems Attachment avoidance ~ externally oriented Attachment avoidance ~ externally oriented

thinkingthinking →→ not only avoidance of anxiety rising not only avoidance of anxiety rising from IP relations, BUT avoidance of emotions at all, from IP relations, BUT avoidance of emotions at all, since distracting from everyday life.since distracting from everyday life.

Attachment anxiety ~ difficulties in appropriatly Attachment anxiety ~ difficulties in appropriatly identifying feelingsidentifying feelings →→ anxious personsanxious persons seem to be seem to be concerned with feelings and emotions, problem concerned with feelings and emotions, problem is is filtering.filtering.

Both findings in accordance with AAI theoryBoth findings in accordance with AAI theory

Discussion II.Discussion II. Both avoidant and anxious Both avoidant and anxious ~~ trait anxiety trait anxiety

only anxious only anxious ~~ somatic symptoms somatic symptoms Difference = possible different attribution Difference = possible different attribution

of source of anxietyof source of anxiety Avoidant – external (e.g. IP relations)Avoidant – external (e.g. IP relations) Anxious – internal (bodily symptoms)Anxious – internal (bodily symptoms) Avoidance = better mental health, since Avoidance = better mental health, since

external sources easier avoidable external sources easier avoidable → → adaptive strategy in adulthoodadaptive strategy in adulthood

Anxiety – dependence = struggle for a regulating Anxiety – dependence = struggle for a regulating partner ← partner ← mutual dyadic sources of self-mutual dyadic sources of self-regulation (Beebe & Lachmann, 2002).regulation (Beebe & Lachmann, 2002).

Discussion III.Discussion III.

MMethodological perspectiveethodological perspective – answer – answer for for a long debatea long debate??

AAI categoriesAAI categories = = categories obtained categories obtained from self-report measures from self-report measures ??

These findings are one more These findings are one more argument on the side of those who argument on the side of those who suggest that the overlap is notablesuggest that the overlap is notable..

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