Dyadic adjustment in parents of schizophrenics

Basic Family Relations, Parental Bonding, and Dyadic Adjustment in Families with a Member with Psychosis

The aim of the current study is to describe and explore basic family relations, parental bonding, and dyadic adjustment in families with offspring diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. The sample was made up of 120 participants, 60 in the clinical group (GCL) and 60 in the comparison group (GCP). All participants were assessed using the basic family relations evaluation questionnaire (CERFB), the parental bonding instrument (PBI), and the dyadic adjustment scale (DAS). The results showed differences between the clinical and comparison groups in terms of perceptions of basic family relations, dyadic adjustment and parental bonding. The clinical group recorded less favorable results for all of these variables. More specifically, the study observed significant differences between the groups in parental function, overprotection and caring. This study deepens our understanding of how family assessment and relational diagnoses can serve as prevention and intervention tools for families affected by a psychotic disorder.

The association between adult attachment style and delusional-like experiences in a community sample of women

Community-based surveys have found that many otherwise well individuals endorse delusional-like experiences (DLEs). There is extensive literature that describes the demographic and psychosocial correlates of DLE; however, we know little about the association between DLE and attachment style. The association between DLEs (assessed by the Peters Delusional Inventory [PDI]) and interpersonal relationship style (as assessed by the Adult Attachment Questionnaire and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale) was examined in 3360 women. When adjusted for the presence of depressive and anxiety symptoms, high scores on the PDI (lowest versus highest quartiles) were associated with a) difficulties in adult attachment style particularly in the discomfort with closeness and preoccupation with relationships subscales and b) conflictual dyadic adjustment (adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals, 2.43 and 1.94-3.04, 2.50 and 1.99-3.14, and 2.90 and 1.38-6.06, respectively). The association between adult attachment style and DLE provides new clues into the causal pathway underpinning these common experiences.