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Lau-Zhu A, Williams F, Steel C. Attachment patterns and autobiographical episodic memory functioning: A systemic review of adult studies to advance clinical psychological science. Clin Psychol Rev 2023; 101:102254. [PMID: 36804184 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2023.102254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Patterns of insecure attachment are associated with psychopathology but the mechanisms involved remain poorly understood. Cognitive science proposes that attachment patterns are influenced by the autobiographical memory system and in turn influence its ongoing functioning. Disturbances in autobiographical memory represent cognitive risks for later emotional difficulties. We systemically reviewed 33 studies (in 28 articles) examining the association between attachment patterns and autobiographical episodic memory (AEM) in individuals from the age of 16 (i.e., from young to older adulthood). Attachment patterns were associated with key areas of AEM phenomenology, including intensity and arousal; detail, specificity, and vividness; coherence and fragmentation; and accuracy and latency. These associations appeared to be moderated by contextual and individual factors; mediated by emotional regulation and schema-based processing; linked to mental health outcomes. Attachment patterns may also influence the impact of certain AEM-based manipulations. We conclude by providing a critical discussion and a research agenda for bringing together attachment, memory, and emotion, with a view to promote mechanism-driven treatment innovation in clinical psychology.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Lau-Zhu
- Oxford Institute of Clinical Psychology Training and Research, Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Division of Psychiatry, Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - F Williams
- Oxford Institute of Clinical Psychology Training and Research, Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - C Steel
- Oxford Institute of Clinical Psychology Training and Research, Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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2
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Öner S, Gülgöz S. Adults’ recollection of the earliest memories: early parental elaboration mediated the link between attachment and remembering. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-03811-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
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3
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Gonzalves L, Chae Y, Wang Y, Widaman KF, Bederian‐Gardner D, Goodman‐Wilson M, Thompson RA, Shaver PR, Goodman GS. Children’s Memory and Suggestibility Years Later: Age, Distress, and Attachment. APPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/acp.3988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Abstract
Previous studies confirm that attachment representations are very stable and are rooted in semantic and episodic autobiographic memory systems. The Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) provides a means to assess secure, insecure, and disorganized (U) states of mind; it incorporates a fine-grained analysis of attachment-related memories. The AAI is not a measure to determine false versus true memories or to claim it can identify veridical truth; however, longitudinal research studies demonstrate that the AAI is highly stable in how (degree of coherence) the speaker discusses past events. This IRB approved study (n = 130) examined a non-clinical sample of active individuals. The results indicated that passive states of mind was a predictor variable for unresolved loss and unresolved childhood abuse and both passive states of mind and more Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) predicted overall lack of resolution (U). Lack of memory and dissociative amnesia were not significant predictors. This study and previous studies demonstrate that retrospective reporting of ACEs remain stable over time. These findings suggest that clinical focus should follow the attachment protocol of examining the state of mind of the speaker. Autobiographical memory systems reveal enduring Internal Working Models (IWMs) that influence how memories are stored and recounted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Thomson
- Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Northridge, California, USA
| | - S Victoria Jaque
- Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Northridge, California, USA
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5
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Anderson SF, Patel U, Harvey MB, Price HL, Connolly DA. How Do Judges Discuss Memory Failures in Childhood Sexual Abuse Cases? A Brief Report. JOURNAL OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE 2021; 30:498-508. [PMID: 33879040 DOI: 10.1080/10538712.2021.1914259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The natural fading of memory presents a difficulty for complainants who report childhood sexual abuse after a significant delay. The complainant's recollections, and their failures to recollect, may be the only source of evidence about the alleged offense and so may be determinative of outcome. We analyzed 101 published judicial decisions of timely tried and delayed complaints of child sexual abuse and coded for judge's comments related to complainants' memory failures. We utilized qualitative and quantitative methods for this study. There were more memory failure comments reported for cases with a delay to trial compared to no delay to trial. Further, there were more memory failure comments in cases that ended in acquittals than convictions when there was a delay to trial. Judicial discussion of memory failures about abuse setting or circumstances accounted for the highest percentage of comments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Unnati Patel
- Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - Madison B Harvey
- Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - Heather L Price
- Department of Psychology, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, Canada
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Luo Y, Liu C, Zheng L, Chen X. Attachment and autobiographical memory retrieval: Event-related potential evidence from strategic information processing. Conscious Cogn 2020; 83:102980. [PMID: 32645690 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2020.102980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 06/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This article presents two studies using event-related potentials combined with an autobiographical memory (AM) retrieval task and a lexical judge task to explore differences in AM retrieval among differently attached individuals and to further explore whether the source of these differences is the schematic information processing mode or strategic information processing mode. The effectiveness of the information processing mode is also studied. The results revealed that differences in the AM extraction of different attachment styles were due to the strategic information processing mode, while no differences were found in the schematic information processing used by individuals with different attachment styles. Further, the strategic information processing used by the securely attached group was more flexible and efficient than that used by the insecurely attached group; moreover, the strategic information processing mode used by the avoidantly attached group was more stable and consistent than that used by the anxiously attached group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yadan Luo
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University (SWU), Chongqing 400715, China; Research Center of Mental Health Education, SouthWest University, Chongqing,400715, China
| | - Chen Liu
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University (SWU), Chongqing 400715, China; Research Center of Mental Health Education, SouthWest University, Chongqing,400715, China
| | - Leying Zheng
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University (SWU), Chongqing 400715, China; Research Center of Mental Health Education, SouthWest University, Chongqing,400715, China
| | - Xu Chen
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University (SWU), Chongqing 400715, China; Research Center of Mental Health Education, SouthWest University, Chongqing,400715, China.
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Gewirtz-Meydan A, Lahav Y. Sexual Functioning Among Childhood Sexual Abuse Survivors From an Attachment Perspective. J Sex Med 2020; 17:1370-1382. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2020.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/28/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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8
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Autobiographical memory stability in the context of the Adult Attachment Interview. Cognition 2019; 191:103980. [PMID: 31238247 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2019.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Revised: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that both attachment representations and autobiographical memories are moderately stable over time. Evidence examining the stability of attachment-related memories is scarce, although these memories of early caregiving are thought to underpin attachment representations. Connecting research on stability of autobiographical memories with research on attachment representation, the present study investigated the stability of attachment-related autobiographical memories, which were provided by 151 emerging adults in repeated Adult Attachment Interviews conducted seven years apart. Results show that these childhood memories are as stable as other memories from later periods of life, and that memory stability depends on retrieval mode, memory valence, autobiographical memory specificity, and memory content (i.e., maternal vs. paternal caregiver). Investigating the relation of stability of attachment-related memory content with attachment security revealed mainly an association with secure base script knowledge, supporting the notion that attachment representations are firmly rooted in semantic and autobiographical memory systems.
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Goodman GS, Quas JA, Goldfarb D, Gonzalves L, Gonzalez A. Trauma and Long‐Term Memory for Childhood Events: Impact Matters. CHILD DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/cdep.12307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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10
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English LH, Wisener M, Bailey HN. Childhood emotional maltreatment, anxiety, attachment, and mindfulness: Associations with facial emotion recognition. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2018; 80:146-160. [PMID: 29605464 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2017] [Revised: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 02/07/2018] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The current study investigated factors thought to contribute to facial emotion processing. Female university students (N = 126) completed self-report measures of childhood emotional maltreatment, anxiety symptoms, attachment anxiety and avoidance, and trait mindfulness before completing a facial emotion recognition task, where they viewed sequences of faces that incorporated progressively more emotional content until they were able to correctly identify the emotion. They completed the task under low and high cognitive load conditions to distinguish between relatively effortful versus automatic processing abilities. Regression analyses revealed that under low cognitive load, attachment avoidance and mindfulness predicted quicker identification of fear (i.e., with less perceptual information), whereas anxiety predicted slower identification of fear (i.e., with more perceptual information). In the high cognitive load condition, emotional maltreatment and mindfulness predicted quicker identification of fear, and anxiety and mindfulness predicted faster identification of emotions overall. Although current findings are correlational, most of these effects were specific to fearful faces, suggesting that experiences of childhood emotional maltreatment and associated socio-emotional sequelae are related to heightened processing of threat-related information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianne H English
- University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd E, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
| | - Melanie Wisener
- McGill University, 845 Rue Sherbrooke O, Montréal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada.
| | - Heidi N Bailey
- University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd E, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
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Abstract
The present study investigates the relationship between the attachment dimensions (anxious vs. avoidance) and the cognitive performance of individuals, specifically whether the attachment dimensions would predict the working memory (WM) performance. In the n-back task, reflecting the WM capacity, both attachment related and non-attachment related words were used. Participants were randomly assigned into two groups that received either the secure or the neutral subliminal priming. In the secure priming condition, the aim was to induce sense of security by presenting secure attachment words prior to the n-back task performance. In neutral priming condition, neutral words that did not elicit sense of security were presented. Structural equation modeling revealed divergent patterns for attachment anxiety and avoidance dimensions under the different priming conditions. In neutral priming condition, WM performance declined in terms of capacity in the n-back task for individuals who rated higher levels of attachment anxiety. However in the secure priming condition, WM performance was boosted in the n-back task for individuals who rated higher levels of attachment anxiety. In other words, the subliminal priming of the security led to increased WM capacity of individuals who rated higher levels of attachment anxiety. This effect, however, was not observed for higher levels of attachment avoidance. Results are discussed along the lines of hyperactivation and deactivation strategies of the attachment system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahu Gokce
- Department of Psychology, Kadir Has University, Istanbul, Turkey
- * E-mail:
| | - Mehmet Harma
- Department of Psychology, Kadir Has University, Istanbul, Turkey
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12
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Chae Y, Goodman M, Goodman GS, Troxel N, McWilliams K, Thompson RA, Shaver PR, Widaman KF. How children remember the Strange Situation: The role of attachment. J Exp Child Psychol 2017; 166:360-379. [PMID: 29024847 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2017.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2016] [Revised: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
This study tested predictions from Bowlby's attachment theory about children's memory and suggestibility. Young children (3-5years old, N=88; 76% Caucasians) and their parents took part in the Strange Situation Procedure, a moderately distressing event and "gold standard" for assessing children's attachment quality. The children were then interviewed about what occurred during the event. Children's age and attachment security scores positively predicted correct information in free recall and accuracy in answering specific questions. For children with higher (vs. lower) attachment security scores, greater distress observed during the Strange Situation Procedure predicted increased resistance to misleading suggestions. In addition, for children who displayed relatively low distress during the Strange Situation Procedure, significant age differences in memory and suggestibility emerged as expected. However, for children who displayed greater distress during the Strange Situation Procedure, younger and older children's memory performances were equivalent. Findings suggest that attachment theory provides an important framework for understanding facets of memory development with respect to attachment-related information and that distress may alter assumed age patterns in memory development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoojin Chae
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-1230, USA.
| | - Miranda Goodman
- Department of Psychology, Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, FL 33711, USA
| | - Gail S Goodman
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
| | - Natalie Troxel
- Health Sciences Research Institute, University of California, Merced, CA 95353, USA
| | - Kelly McWilliams
- Department of Psychology, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York, NY 10019, USA
| | - Ross A Thompson
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Phillip R Shaver
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Keith F Widaman
- Graduate School of Education, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
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13
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Bryant RA, Bali A. Activating attachment representations impact how we retrieve autobiographical memories. Memory 2017; 26:462-467. [DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2017.1367404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Richard A. Bryant
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Kensington, Sydney, Australia
| | - Agnes Bali
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Kensington, Sydney, Australia
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Zhai J, Chen X, Ma J, Yang Q, Liu Y. The vigilance-avoidance model of avoidant recognition: An ERP study under threat priming. Psychiatry Res 2016; 246:379-386. [PMID: 27788456 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2016.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2015] [Revised: 10/10/2016] [Accepted: 10/13/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Our study examined attachment-related electrophysiological differences in recognition using event-related potentials (ERPs) measured during a study-test paradigm after threat priming. We identified ERP correlates of recognition by comparing the ERPs of attachment-related positive and negative images between avoidant and secure attachment orientations. Our results revealed that the distribution of early old/new effects was broader in avoidant individuals than in secure individuals, and an early parietal old/new effect was observed in avoidant individuals, which reflected their implicit memory. The late old/new effect was found only in secure individuals when evoked by negative pictures, and was not observed in avoidant individuals. The results suggest that avoidant individuals adopt the "vigilance-avoidance" dual-process model to recognize both positive and negative attachment-related stimuli and carry out preferential familiarity matching at the automatic level and avoidant retrieval at the controlled-processing level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhai
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chong Qing, China; Hubei tianmen high school, Hu Bei, China
| | - Xu Chen
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chong Qing, China.
| | - Jianling Ma
- Institute of Education, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chong Qing, China
| | - Qingqing Yang
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chong Qing, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chong Qing, China
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15
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Romaniuk L, Pope M, Nicol K, Steele D, Hall J. Neural correlates of fears of abandonment and rejection in borderline personality disorder. Wellcome Open Res 2016. [DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.10331.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a prevalent and disabling psychiatric condition commonly associated with early life adversity. Social difficulties are a prominent symptom of BPD, particularly a fear of abandonment and rejection. There has recently been a growing interest in the neural basis of these social symptoms and their relationship to early experience. Methods: In the current study, we examined social brain function and learning in BPD using functional MRI. Participants with BPD (n=20) and healthy controls (n=16) completed a computerized parametric social exclusion task (the “Cyberball” task). Brain activation was compared between groups and related to social symptom status and experiences of childhood trauma. Additional analyses were conducted using a reinforcement learning model treating social inclusion as a rewarding event. Results: Participants with BPD demonstrated a group effect of decreased right temporoparietal junction (TPJ) activation (p < 0.013, FWE-corrected). Increased fear of abandonment in BPD was associated with reduced inclusion-related activation of the inferior frontal gyrus (p = 0.003, FWE-corrected). Across all participants, TPJ inclusion-related activation was modified by prior experience of childhood physical neglect (p < 0.001, FWE-corrected). Reinforcement learning modelling revealed decreased midbrain responses to social inclusion in BPD participants (p = 0.028, FWE-corrected within midbrain mask), with decreased anticipatory midbrain activation in anticipation of social inclusion specifically associated with fears of abandonment (p = 0.019, FWE-corrected within a midbrain mask). Conclusions: The findings demonstrate alterations in social brain function and social reinforcement learning in BPD, which are influenced by both early life experience and symptom status.
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16
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Ogle CM, Rubin DC, Siegler IC. Maladaptive trauma appraisals mediate the relation between attachment anxiety and PTSD symptom severity. PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA : THEORY, RESEARCH, PRACTICE AND POLICY 2016; 8:301-9. [PMID: 27046669 PMCID: PMC4844797 DOI: 10.1037/tra0000112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In a large sample of community-dwelling older adults with histories of exposure to a broad range of traumatic events, we examined the extent to which appraisals of traumatic events mediate the relations between insecure attachment styles and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity. METHOD Participants completed an assessment of adult attachment, in addition to measures of PTSD symptom severity, event centrality, event severity, and ratings of the A1 PTSD diagnostic criterion for the potentially traumatic life event that bothered them most at the time of the study. RESULTS Consistent with theoretical proposals and empirical studies indicating that individual differences in adult attachment systematically influence how individuals evaluate distressing events, individuals with higher attachment anxiety perceived their traumatic life events to be more central to their identity and more severe. Greater event centrality and event severity were each in turn related to higher PTSD symptom severity. In contrast, the relation between attachment avoidance and PTSD symptoms was not mediated by appraisals of event centrality or event severity. Furthermore, neither attachment anxiety nor attachment avoidance was related to participants' ratings of the A1 PTSD diagnostic criterion. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that attachment anxiety contributes to greater PTSD symptom severity through heightened perceptions of traumatic events as central to identity and severe. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David C Rubin
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University
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17
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Harris LS, Block SD, Ogle CM, Goodman GS, Augusti EM, Larson RP, Culver MA, Pineda AR, Timmer SG, Urquiza A. Coping style and memory specificity in adolescents and adults with histories of child sexual abuse. Memory 2015; 24:1078-90. [DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2015.1068812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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18
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Memory for child sexual abuse information: simulated memory error and individual differences. Mem Cognit 2015; 42:151-63. [PMID: 23835600 DOI: 10.3758/s13421-013-0345-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Building on the simulated-amnesia work of Christianson and Bylin (Applied Cognitive Psychology, 13, 495-511, 1999), the present research introduces a new paradigm for the scientific study of memory of childhood sexual abuse information. In Session 1, participants mentally took the part of an abuse victim as they read an account of the sexual assault of a 7-year-old. After reading the narrative, participants were randomly assigned to one of four experimental conditions: They (1) rehearsed the story truthfully (truth group), (2) left out the abuse details of the story (omission group), (3) lied about the abuse details to indicate that no abuse had occurred (commission group), or (4) did not recall the story during Session 1 (no-rehearsal group). One week later, participants returned for Session 2 and were asked to truthfully recall the narrative. The results indicated that, relative to truthful recall, untruthful recall or no rehearsal at Session 1 adversely affected memory performance at Session 2. However, untruthful recall resulted in better memory than did no rehearsal. Moreover, gender, PTSD symptoms, depression, adult attachment, and sexual abuse history significantly predicted memory for the childhood sexual abuse scenario. Implications for theory and application are discussed.
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Dykas MJ, Woodhouse SS, Jones JD, Cassidy J. Attachment-Related Biases in Adolescents’ Memory. Child Dev 2014; 85:2185-201. [DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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20
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Chae Y, Goodman GS, Larson RP, Augusti EM, Alley D, VanMeenen KM, Culver M, Coulter KP. Children’s memory and suggestibility about a distressing event: The role of children’s and parents’ attachment. J Exp Child Psychol 2014; 123:90-111. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2014.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2012] [Revised: 01/05/2014] [Accepted: 01/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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21
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Dakanalis A, Timko CA, Zanetti MA, Rinaldi L, Prunas A, Carrà G, Riva G, Clerici M. Attachment insecurities, maladaptive perfectionism, and eating disorder symptoms: a latent mediated and moderated structural equation modeling analysis across diagnostic groups. Psychiatry Res 2014; 215:176-84. [PMID: 24295762 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2013.10.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2013] [Revised: 07/24/2013] [Accepted: 10/31/2013] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Although 96-100% of individuals with eating disorders (EDs) report insecure attachment, the specific mechanisms by which adult insecure attachment dimensions affect ED symptomatology remain to date largely unknown. This study examined maladaptive perfectionism as both a mediator and a moderator of the relationship between insecure attachment (anxiety and avoidance) and ED symptomatology in a clinical, treatment seeking, sample. Insecure anxious and avoidant attachment, maladaptive perfectionism, and ED symptomatology were assessed in 403 participants from three medium size specialized care centres for EDs in Italy. Structural equation modeling indicated that maladaptive perfectionism served as mediator between both insecure attachment patterns and ED symptomatology. It also interacted with insecure attachment to predict higher levels of ED symptoms - highlighting the importance of both insecure attachment patterns and maladaptive aspects of perfectionism as treatment targets. Multiple-group comparison analysis did not reveal differences across diagnostic groups (AN, BN, EDNOS) in mediating, main and interaction effects of perfectionism. These findings are consistent with recent discussions on the classification and treatment of EDs that have highlighted similarities between ED diagnostic groups and could be viewed through the lens of the Trans-theoretical Model of EDs. Implications for future research and intervention are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonios Dakanalis
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; Department of Psychiatry, S. Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy; Clinical and Health Psychology Unit, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy.
| | - C Alix Timko
- Behavioral and Social Sciences Department, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - M Assunta Zanetti
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Lucio Rinaldi
- Catholic University, Rome, Italy; Department of Psychiatry, A. Gemelli, University General Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Prunas
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy; Personality Disorder Lab, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Carrà
- Mental Health Sciences Unit, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Giuseppe Riva
- Faculty of Psychology, Catholic University, Milan, Italy; Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Clerici
- Department of Psychiatry, S. Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy; Department of Neurosciences and Biomedical Technologies, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
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Contribution of attachment security to the prediction of internalizing and externalizing behavior problems in preschoolers victims of sexual abuse. EUROPEAN REVIEW OF APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY-REVUE EUROPEENNE DE PSYCHOLOGIE APPLIQUEE 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.erap.2012.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Melinder A, Baugerud GA, Ovenstad KS, Goodman GS. Children's memories of removal: a test of attachment theory. J Trauma Stress 2013; 26:125-33. [PMID: 23371403 DOI: 10.1002/jts.21784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
We report a study of parents' attachment orientations and children's autobiographical memory for an experience that according to Bowlby's (1982) attachment theory should be particularly threatening-children's forced separation from their parents. It was hypothesized that individual differences in parents' attachment orientations would be associated with children's distress and memory for this highly traumatic event. Children (n = 28) were observed during forced removal from home or school by Child Protective Services due to allegations of child maltreatment. Children's memory for the removal was tested 1 week later, and biological parents (n = 28) completed an adult attachment measure. Parental attachment anxiety significantly predicted children's distress during less stressful phases of the removal, R(2) = .25, and parents' attachment-related avoidance predicted fewer correct memory reports from the children (i.e., fewer hits to open-ended questions, R(2) = .16, and fewer hits to direct questions, R(2) = .27). The findings indicate that attachment theory provides important guidance for understanding children's autobiographical memory for traumatic events.
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Brewin CR. A Theoretical Framework for Understanding Recovered Memory Experiences. TRUE AND FALSE RECOVERED MEMORIES 2012; 58:149-73. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-1195-6_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Chae Y, Goodman GS, Edelstein RS. Autobiographical memory development from an attachment perspective: the special role of negative events. ADVANCES IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND BEHAVIOR 2011; 40:1-49. [PMID: 21887958 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-386491-8.00001-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The authors propose a novel model of autobiographical memory development that features the fundamental role of attachment orientations and negative life events. In the model, it is proposed that early autobiographical memory derives in part from the need to express and remember negative experiences, a need that has adaptive value, and that attachment orientations create individual differences in children's recollections of negative experiences. Specifically, the role of attachment in the processing of negative information is discussed in regard to the mnemonic stages of encoding, storage, and retrieval. This model sheds light on several areas of contradictory data in the memory development literature, such as concerning earliest memories and children's and adults' memory/suggestibility for stressful events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoojin Chae
- DEpartment of Psychology, University of California, Davis, California, USA
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Quas JA, Alexander KW, Goodman GS, Ghetti S, Edelstein RS, Redlich A. Long-term autobiographical memory for legal involvement: Individual and sociocontextual predictors. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2010. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2010.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Memory for emotional experiences in the context of attachment and social interaction style. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2010. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2010.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Abstract
Exposure to childhood trauma, especially child maltreatment, has important implications for memory of emotionally distressing experiences. These implications stem from cognitive, socio-emotional, mental health, and neurobiological consequences of maltreatment and can be at least partially explained by current theories concerning the effects of childhood trauma. In this review, two main hypotheses are advanced: (a) Maltreatment in childhood is associated with especially robust memory for emotionally distressing material in many individuals, but (b) maltreatment can impair memory for such material in individuals who defensively avoid it. Support for these hypotheses comes from research on child abuse victims' memory and suggestibility regarding distressing but nonabusive events, memory for child abuse itself, and autobiographical memory. However, more direct investigations are needed to test precisely when and how childhood trauma affects memory for emotionally significant, distressing experiences. Legal implications and future directions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gail S Goodman
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA.
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Block SD, Greenberg SN, Goodman GS. Remembrance of Eyewitness Testimony: Effects of Emotional Content, Self-Relevance, and Emotional Tone1. JOURNAL OF APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1559-1816.2009.00553.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Gillath O, Giesbrecht B, Shaver PR. Attachment, attention, and cognitive control: Attachment style and performance on general attention tasks. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jesp.2009.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Hinnen C, Sanderman R, Sprangers MAG. Adult attachment as mediator between recollections of childhood and satisfaction with life. Clin Psychol Psychother 2009; 16:10-21. [DOI: 10.1002/cpp.600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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Schaaf JM, Alexander KW, Goodman GS. Children’s false memory and true disclosure in the face of repeated questions. J Exp Child Psychol 2008; 100:157-85. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2007.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2007] [Accepted: 09/14/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Edelstein RS, Gillath O. Avoiding interference: adult attachment and emotional processing biases. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY BULLETIN 2007; 34:171-81. [PMID: 18063834 DOI: 10.1177/0146167207310024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The present study investigated attachment-related differences in emotional processing biases. Consistent with the proposal that avoidant individuals limit attention to potentially distressing information, attachment avoidance was associated with reductions in emotional Stroop (ES) interference for attachment-related words (e.g., intimate, loss). These biases were strongest among individuals who were currently in a romantic relationship, suggesting that being in a close relationship may activate avoidant defensive strategies. In addition, avoidant attentional biases were attenuated under cognitive load, suggesting that inhibiting attention to attachment-related information requires cognitive effort. Finally, avoidance was unrelated to ES performance for emotional, nonattachment-related words, demonstrating the specificity of these attentional biases. The present findings suggest that avoidant individuals can inhibit attention to potentially threatening information, that this ability requires cognitive effort, and that relationship status may be an important moderator of avoidant defensive strategies. The implications of these strategies for emotional functioning and well-being are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin S Edelstein
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. redelste @umich.edu
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Hulme PA. Psychometric evaluation and comparison of three retrospective, multi-item measures of childhood sexual abuse. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2007; 31:853-69. [PMID: 17825410 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2007.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2003] [Revised: 03/05/2007] [Accepted: 03/11/2007] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate and compare the psychometric qualities of three retrospective, multi-item measures of childhood sexual abuse (CSA): the CSA Frequency Scale, CSA Count Index, and CSA Multiple Characteristics Index. METHODS Two samples of women 20-50 years old who experienced CSA were recruited from a family practice clinic (N=132) and the community (N=19). The measures were designed to represent the three most commonly used approaches for multi-item measurement of past CSA, as determined by a review of literature. Items were derived from a self-administered instrument from a larger study. The CSA Frequency Scale was evaluated for test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and criterion-related validity. The CSA Count and CSA Multiple Characteristics Indexes were evaluated for content specification, indicator specification, indicator collinearity, external validity, criterion-related validity, and test-retest reliability. Criterion-related validity variables were (a) physical and psychosocial symptomatology and (b) depression. RESULTS Upon evaluation, all three measures met criteria for satisfactory quality, with one exception: external validity for both indexes. When compared across test-retest reliability and criterion-related validity results, none of the measures proved superior. Intraclass correlation coefficients for test-retest reliability ranged from .92 to .94; correlations with the criterion-related validity variables ranged from r=.36 to .41. CONCLUSIONS The results support the continued use of established scales similar to the CSA Frequency scale. In addition, the results suggest further development and standardization of indexes similar to the CSA Count and Multiple Characteristics Indexes is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Polly A Hulme
- University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Nursing, 985330 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5330, USA
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Edelstein RS. Attachment and emotional memory: investigating the source and extent of avoidant memory impairments. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2006; 6:340-5. [PMID: 16768567 DOI: 10.1037/1528-3542.6.2.340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Attachment avoidance has been associated with impairments in memory for material with emotional, attachment-related themes (e.g., loss). In the present study the author investigated the source and extent of these memory deficits by examining working memory capacity for attachment-related and nonattachment-related material. Avoidance was associated with deficits in working memory for positive and negative attachment-related stimuli. However, avoidance was unrelated to working memory capacity for nonattachment-related stimuli, both emotional and nonemotional. These findings are consistent with the proposal that avoidant individuals defensively limit the processing of potentially distressing information. Attachment anxiety was unrelated to working memory capacity across word type. Implications of the findings for defensive strategies and emotional memory are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin S Edelstein
- Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
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