Childhood maltreatment, complex trauma symptoms, and unresolved attachment in an at-risk sample of adolescent mothers (original) (raw)
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Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 2016
Disorganized attachment has been proposed as a mediating mechanism in the relation between childhood abuse and dissociation. However, support for mediation has been mixed when using interview or self-report measures of attachment. In the current work, relations among severity of abuse, attachment disorganization, and dissociation were assessed in young adulthood using both interview and interaction-based measures of attachment. One hundred and twelve low-income young adults were assessed for socioeconomic stresses, abusive experiences in childhood, and attachment disorganization at age 20. Attachment disorganization was assessed with the Adult Attachment Interview, coded independently for Unresolved states of mind and for Hostile-Helpless (HH) states of mind. Attachment disorganization was also measured using a newly validated assessment of young adult-parent interaction during a conflict discussion. Mediational analyses revealed that the link between childhood abuse and dissociation was partially explained by disturbances in young adult-parent interaction. Narrative disturbances on the Adult Attachment Interview were related to abuse and to dissociation but did not mediate the link between the two. Results are discussed in relation to the role of parent-child communication processes in pathways to dissociation.
Journal of trauma & dissociation : the official journal of the International Society for the Study of Dissociation (ISSD), 2016
Disorganized attachment has been proposed as a mediating mechanism in the relation between childhood abuse and dissociation. However, support for mediation has been mixed when using interview or self-report measures of attachment. In the current work, relations among severity of abuse, attachment disorganization, and dissociation were assessed in young adulthood using both interview and interaction-based measures of attachment. One hundred and twelve low-income young adults were assessed for socioeconomic stresses, abusive experiences in childhood, and attachment disorganization at age 20. Attachment disorganization was assessed with the Adult Attachment Interview, coded independently for Unresolved states of mind and for Hostile-Helpless (HH) states of mind. Attachment disorganization was also measured using a newly validated assessment of young adult-parent interaction during a conflict discussion. Mediational analyses revealed that the link between childhood abuse and dissociatio...
Attachment Theory has received increasing interest as a framework allowing for a more refined understanding of the potential consequences of early relational trauma on psychological and social adjustment. Research has provided support for the role of disorganized attachment, both as a sequela of traumatic experiences and as a risk factor for subsequent maladjustment. This study investigated the associations between unresolved/ disorganized attachment, cognitive functioning, and dissociative symptomatology in a sample of 60 adolescents with a history of maltreatment. A model with cognitive efficiency as a mediator variable was tested using hierarchical multiple regression analysis, with a bootstrapping procedure to examine indirect effects. Results provided support for the association between unresolved attachment, cognitive efficiency (but not verbal or thinking ability), and dissociation. Working memory was a strong mediator of the link between attachment and dissociation. These results highlight the importance of assessing attachment status and cognitive functioning in the context of clinical work with maltreated youth. In addition, it is proposed that greater attention be paid to internal models of attachment relationships and how they impact psychosocial functioning at different levels in maltreated populations.
Self-reported attachment style, trauma exposure and dissociative symptoms among adolescents
Attachment & Human Development, 2011
The aim of this study was to analyze whether self-reported attachment style (measuring avoidance and anxiety) among adolescents was associated with dissociative symptoms, in addition to self-reported potentially traumatic experiences. A group consisting of 462 adolescents completed three selfassessment questionnaires: Linkoping Youth Life Experience Scale (LYLES), Experiences in Close Relationships, modified version (ECR) and Dissociation Questionnaire Sweden (Dis-Q-Sweden). Self-reported attachment style had a stronger association with dissociative symptoms than self reported traumas. It was also found that scores on a dissociation questionnaire correlated strongly with scores on self-reported attachment style in adolescence. Discussion concerns reasons why self-reported attachment style is an important factor that may influence dissociative symptoms during adolescence.
Impact of maternal childhood abuse history on child’s attachment problems
Background : The aim of this study was to investigate the independent impact of maternal childhood abuse history (MCAH), after controlling for maternal past, current parenting, and paternal past parenting, and maternal mental health (MMH) on the attachment problems of children living in mother-child homes in Japan. Methods : A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted among mothers (N=306) staying in 83 mother-child homes in Japan to assess mothers’ and fathers’ maltreatment toward their children before moving into the homes, mothers’ current maltreatment, MMH and MCAH in relation to their children’s (N=310) attachment problems. Results : MCAHs were significantly and independently associated with children’s attachment problems after controlling for maternal past, current maltreatment, and paternal past maltreatment. Among covariates, MMH, especially dissociation, was independently significantly associated with children’s attachment problems. Conclusions : The finding that MCAH has a significant impact on children’s attachment problems, independent of parental maltreatment, suggests inter-generational continuity of child maltreatment.
The association of unresolved attachment status and cognitive processes in maltreated adolescents
Child Abuse Review, 2009
This exploratory investigation sought to gain a better understanding of the mental representations of attachment in maltreated adolescents, and how, if at all, unresolved attachment representations are related to cognitive processes in this population. Measures of cognitive functioning, attachment state of mind and parent ratings on attention were obtained from 38 adolescents with a history of maltreatment. Results showed that maltreated adolescents with unresolved states of mind in regard to attachment scored significantly lower on measures of cognitive processes of attention, working memory and cognitive efficiency, even when intelligence was controlled for in the analyses. Theoretical considerations, implications for future research and clinical implications are discussed.
Journal of trauma & dissociation, 2017
Betrayal trauma theory proposes a relation between intimate partner violence (IPV) and dissociation, suggesting that dissociation among victims of IPV may function to restrict awareness of abuse in order to preserve attachments perceived as vital. We investigated two factors that may moderate the relation between IPV and dissociation-childhood sexual abuse (CSA) severity and fear of abandonment-among 348 women currently in a relationship. The relation between frequency of IPV (sexual and physical) and dissociation (amnesia and depersonalization) was moderated by CSA severity and fear of abandonment. Specifically, among women with clinicallyrelevant fear of abandonment, the strength of the relation between IPV and dissociation became stronger as CSA severity increased. This study is the first to demonstrate the moderating roles of fear of abandonment and CSA history in the relation between IPV and dissociation among women. Findings suggest that it may be important to target fear of abandonment in interventions with IPV victims who have a CSA history. Results suggest that fear of abandonment warrants greater attention in research on IPV revictimization.
Understanding links among childhood trauma, dissociation, and women's mental health
American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 2001
Interrelationships among pathological dissociation, child and adul t trauma exposure, and adult mental health symptoms were examined in a sample of low-income, mostly Afican-American women. Dissociation was sign9cantly related to both trauma exposure and mental health symptoms but did not mediate this relationship. Implications fir research and practice are discussed. here is growing recognition of the negative effects of childhood victimization and the Based oii a paper presented af the 1999 /riferriafiotial Family Violetice Research Cotifererice, iri Durham, N H. Research rum supporfed by fhe Nafiorial Cerifer oti Child Abuse arid Neglect (90-CA-1406 arid 90-CA-1552). Authors are af: Deparfnierif of Psy-clrolog~~, Uiiiversify of Neru Hampshire, Durllani (Bariyard); The Sforie Cetifer, Wellesley College, Wellesley (Williams); mid Deparfmenf ofSocio/ogIj, AtIf/iropo/ogy, arid Crimitial ]usfice, Rufgers Utiiuersity, Camden, N.], (Siegel).
European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 2013
Background: Current psychometric measures of childhood trauma history generally fail to assess the relational-socioecological context within which childhood maltreatment occurs, including the relationship of abusers to abused persons, the emotional availability of caregivers, and the respondent's own thoughts, feelings, and actions in response to maltreatment. Objective: To evaluate a computerized approach to measuring the relational-socioecological context within which childhood maltreatment occurs. Method: The psychometric properties of a Childhood Attachment and Relational Trauma Screen (CARTS) were evaluated as a retrospective survey of childhood maltreatment history designed to be appropriate for completion by adults. Participants were undergraduates (n 0222), an internet sample (n 0123), and psychiatric outpatients (n 030). Results: The internal reliability, convergent, and concurrent validity of the CARTS were supported across samples. Paired differences in means and correlations between rated item-descriptiveness to self, mothers, and fathers also accorded with findings of prior attachment and maltreatment research, illustrating the utility of assessing the occurrence and effects of maltreatment within a relational-socioecological framework. Conclusions: Results preliminarily support a new survey methodology for assessing childhood maltreatment within a relational-socioecological framework. Further psychometric evaluation of the CARTS is warranted.
The effects of experienced childhood maternal abuse on adult attachment styles
2007
The relationship between experienced maternal abuse and the development of an insecure attachment style was examined. Data was collected via selfreport questionnaires in a large, urban college campus. The questionnaires used were the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS-2, Straus, Hamby, Boney-McCoy, & Sugarman, 1996) and Attachment Questionnaire (AQ, Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991). The sample included 81 females and 86 males, ranging in age from 18-57 years old. No significant correlation was found between the experience of maternal abuse and the development of a fearful attachment style. The results did support a significant correlation between maternal abuse and the development of an insecure-dismissive attachment style. Future research is needed with more diverse samples that consist of more variability in abuse.