Attachment and Personality Disorders Among Child Molesters: The Role of Trust (original) (raw)
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International journal of offender therapy and comparative criminology, 2006
This study analyzed personality disorders in a group of 33 securely and 51 insecurely attached child molesters. A total of 51 child molesters were selected from a community based educational training program, and the other group was selected from a Belgian prison (n = 33). Research shows that adult attachment styles and personality disorders share a common underlying structure. It is remarkable that very little is known about differences between securely and insecurely attached child molesters. In this study, the authors found that the schizoid personality disorder differed between securely and insecurely attached child molesters. These findings have implications for the aetiology and treatment of child molesters. Future research is necessary to determine patterns of attachment in relationship to personality disorders.
Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, 2005
This article studies recalled parental bonding, adult attachment style, and personality disorders in child molesters and reports on the findings of two separate studies. The first study examines differences between a group of 84 child molesters and 80 matched normal control subjects. This study found that the antisocial and the schizoid personality disorders are typical for the molester group, and that at an interpersonal level this group can be typified by recollections of an uncaring father and mother, recollections of an elevated level of autonomy emanating from the father, and insecure current attachment patterns. The second study compares a subgroup of personality-disordered child molesters to a subgroup without personality disorders. This study revealed that recollections of the role of the father in parenting are decisive. The personality-disordered group reports that the father was both more uncaring and granted more autonomy. Regarding current adult attachment style, an avoidant and anxious-ambivalent attachment style characterised the disordered subgroup. We argue that the results can be useful for treatment. Since recalled parental experiences play a role in the development of personality disorders and child molestation, psychotherapists should integrate interpersonal tools into treatment, especially in therapeutic work with child molesters who received less parental sensitivity and suffer from personality disorders.
Personality and mental health, 2015
This is the first study to link attachment to both severity of total DSM-IV personality disorder (PD) traits and domains of general personality dysfunction, using a sample of 72 inpatients from New York City. We assessed a measure of global PD severity and the core domains of personality functioning using the severity indices of personality problems (SIPP-118). Attachment was measured with the experience in close relationships-revised (ECR-R) and the relationship style questionnaire (RSQ). Global PD severity correlated most strongly with attachment anxiety (r = 0.65). Regression of the SIPP-118 domains on attachment produced models that accounted for a substantial proportion of variance in those scales (R(2) ranging from 28.2 to 54.2%). SIPP-118 relational capacities were the strongest predictor of ECR-R avoidance (β = -0.88) and anxiety (β = -0.58), as well as RSQ secure (β = 0.53) and fearful (β = -0.65). In conclusion, insecure attachment strongly related to the severity of globa...
Attachment & Human Development
Although several studies have highlighted the relationship between attachment states of mind and personality disorders (PD), their findings have not been consistent, possibly due to the application of the traditional taxonomic classification model of attachment. A more recently developed dimensional classification of attachment representations, including more specific aspects of traumarelated representations, may have advantages. In this study we compare specific associations and predictive power of the categorical attachment and dimensional models applied to 230 Adult Attachment Interview transcripts obtained from personality disordered and non-psychiatric subjects. We also investigate the role that current levels of psychiatric distress may have in the prediction of PD. The results showed that both models predict the presence of PD, with the dimensional approach doing better in discriminating overall diagnosis of PD. However, both models are less helpful in discriminating specific PD diagnostic subtypes. Current psychiatric distress was found to be the most consistent predictor of PD capturing a large share of the variance and obscuring the role played by attachment variables. The results suggest that attachment parameters correlate with the presence of PD alone and has no specific associations with particular PD subtypes when current psychiatric distress is taken into account
An Attachment Theoretical Framework for Personality Disorders
Personality disorders are highly prevalent, associated with considerable morbidity, and difficult to treat. Intrapersonal and interpersonal difficulties are central to the pathology observed in personality disorders. Attachment theory provides a broad yet parsimonious explanatory framework for understanding the development, maintenance, and treatment of personality pathology. Attachment theory conceptualizes human behaviour in ways consistent with multiple scientific traditions, including evolutionary, developmental, and neuropsychological domains. The relevant literature has focused predominately on borderline personality disorder, although a few studies have examined attachment associations with other personality disorders, such as narcissistic and avoidant personality disorders. The authors first outline attachment theory and discuss assessment of attachment patterns from both developmental and social psychological viewpoints. Next, the authors present empirical support for attachment theory and its associations with personality, including studies of developmental, physiological, neurobiological, and genetic correlates of personality pathology. They then look at psychotherapy research relevant to (a) underlying components of current psychotherapies, (b) the relation between attachment and both therapy process and treatment outcome, and (c) changes in attachment styles as a result of personality disorder treatment. Finally, the authors call for future research to delve deeper into specific relationships between attachment constructs and personality pathology, as well as to address personality disorders more broadly.
Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 2004
This study examined parental sensitivity, relational attitude (i.e., trust, friendship, adult romantic attachment), and personality disorders in the aetiology of sexual offences among a group of 84 child molesters and a matched normal control group (n = 80). The child molesters were selected from either a community-based, educational training program (n = 51), or a Belgium prison (n = 33). Analyses using structural equation modeling found that both relational attitude and personality disorders differentiated between the child molesters and the comparison group. Implications for the aetiology and treatment of child molesting is discussed.
Brief Review Attachment and Personality Disorders
2015
Personality disorders (PDs) arise from core psychopathology of interpersonal relationships and understanding of self and others.1 The distorted representations of self and others, as well as unhealthy relationships that characterize persons with various PDs, indicate the possibility that persons with PDs have insecure attachment. Attachment John Bowlby postulated that human beings are under pressures of natural selection to evolve behavioural patterns since early in life, such as proximity seeking, smiling, and clinging, that evoke reciprocal caretaking behaviour in adults, such as touching, holding, and soothing.2-4 These behaviours promote the development of an enduring, emotional tone between infant and caregiver, which constitutes attachment. From these parental responses, the infant develops internal models of the self and others that function as templates for later relationships and beliefs including expectations of acceptance and rejection. A secure attachment should engender...
Offenders’ Attachment and Sexual Abuse Onset
Sexual Abuse, 2012
Confidential self-report data obtained on 107 adult male child sexual abusers were analyzed to test theoretical propositions concerning the role of attachment problems in the onset of sexual offending. Offenders’ parent–child attachment relationships were most frequently characterized by affectionless control, reflecting low parental care and high overprotection and control. Offenders reported significantly less secure attachment with their fathers than with their mothers. Overall, weak continuity from childhood attachment to trait (general) adult attachment was found, with insecure attachment more stable than secure attachment. Childhood attachment problems, particularly with fathers, were more clearly reflected in state adult attachment (i.e., in the month preceding sexual offending onset) than in trait adult attachment. Offenders who were in an adult intimate relationship prior to their onset sexual offense reported significant state increases in attachment avoidance, and their o...
The Relationship between Attachment and Criminal Psychopathy: A Systematic Review
Dialoges in Clinical Νeuroscience & Μental Ηealth, 2020
Background: Psychopathy has been theoretically and clinically associated with pathologies of attachment. Cotemporary research on this theme, however, remains scarce. Objectives: The aim of the present systematic review is to examine the relationship between attachment and criminal psychopathy amongst violent and sexually violent incarcerated offenders and forensic mental health patients. Methods: Relevant databases (Psych Info, PubMed, Sage and Web of Science) were searched from 1980 to March 2019 to identify suitable studies for inclusion. The systemic review was carried out in line with 'Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis' (PRISMA) guidelines to ensure that bias is avoided and also to allow a rigorous and in-depth examination of the literature. Results: Two studies were included in the review. The studies demonstrate that there is a high prevalence of traumatic childhood experiences, including various types of abuse and neglect amongst criminal psychopaths. It appears that attachment seems to be an important factor in understanding psychopathy. Conclusion: Higher scores on psychopathy appear to be associated with abnormalities of attachment, such as disorganized, insecure-avoidant, and insecure-preoccupied attachment styles. Given the narrowness of the inclusion criteria, only two studies identified for inclusion. Future research should aim to explore further the relationship between attachment and psychopathy.