Neuroscience of human social interactions and adult attachment style

Neural correlates of distress and comfort in individuals with avoidant, anxious and secure attachment style: an fMRI study

Despite a growing literature, experiments directly related to attachment are still needed. We explored brain processes involved in two aspects of attachment, distress and comfort. Seventy-eight healthy adult males with different attachment styles (secure, avoidant, and anxious) viewed distress, comfort, complicity-joy and neutral images (picture database BAPS-Adult) in an fMRI block design. ROIs from the modules described in the functional Neuro-Anatomical Model of Attachment (Long et al. 2020) were studied. Secure participants used more co- and self-regulation strategies and exhibited a higher activation of the reward network in distress and comfort viewing, than insecure participants. Avoidant participants showed the lower brain activations. Their approach and reward modules were the least activated in distress and comfort. Anxious participants presented both higher activations of the approach and aversion modules during complicity-joy. In addition, comfort and complicity-joy were processed differently according to attachment styles and should be differentiated among positive stimuli to disentangle attachment processes.

Insecure Attachment, Oxytocinergic System and C-Tactile Fibers: An Integrative and Translational Pathophysiological Model of Fibromyalgia and Central Sensitivity Syndromes

Although the pathophysiology of fibromyalgia syndrome has been better understood in recent decades, a unified model of its pathogenesis and an effective therapeutic approach are still far from being realized. The main aim of this article will be to delve into the fundamental mechanisms of the pathophysiology of fibromyalgia conceptualized as stress intolerance syndrome. Using the biopsychosocial model of chronic pain syndromes, we will describe the potential role of the attachment system, C-tactile fibers, and oxytocinergic system dysfunction in the pathophysiology of fibromyalgia syndrome and other central sensitivity syndromes. At the end of the article, the therapeutic implications of this new global and translational pathophysiological model will be briefly discussed.

Does attachment in adolescence predict neural responses to handholding in adulthood? A functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Objective

Early life experiences, including attachment-related experiences, inform internal working models that guide adult relationship behaviors. Few studies have examined the association between adolescent attachment and adult relationship behavior on a neural level. The current study examined attachment in adolescence and its associations with neural correlates of relationship behaviors in adulthood.

Method

85 participants completed the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) at age 14. Ten years later, at age 24, participants underwent functional brain image when participants were under the threat of electric shock alone, holding the hand of a stranger, or their partner.

Results

We found that adolescents who were securely attached at age 14 showed increased activation in regions commonly associated with cognitive, affective, and reward processing when they held the hand of their partner and stranger compared to being alone. Adolescents with higher preoccupied attachment scores showed decreased activation in similar regions only during the stranger handholding condition compared to being alone.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that adolescent attachment predicts adult social relationship behaviors on a neural level, in regions largely consistent with previous literature. Broadly, this study has implications for understanding long-term links between attachment and adult relationship behaviors and has potential for informing intervention.

In the eye of the beholder: Social traits predict motor simulation during naturalistic action perception

Previous research has robustly demonstrated that eye contact between actor and observer promotes the simulation of perceived actions into the observer's own motor system, which in turn facilitates social perception and communication. The socially relevant connotation embedded in eye contact may however be different for individuals with differing social traits. Here, we examined how "normal" (i.e. non-clinical) variability in self-reported social responsiveness/autistic traits, social anxiety and interpersonal relationship style (secure, avoidant or anxious attachment) influences neural motor simulation during action observation in different gaze conditions. To do so, we analyzed an existing dataset involving 124 adult participants (age range: 18-35 years) who underwent transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) while observing an actor performing simple hand actions and simultaneously engaging in eye contact or gazing away from the observer. Motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitudes were adopted as an index of motor resonance. Regression-based analyses highlighted the role of social responsiveness and secure attachment in shaping motor resonance, indicating that socially responsive motor resonance during dyadic gaze (i.e., MEPdirect > MEPaverted) was only observed in participants displaying high levels of these traits. Furthermore, a clustering analysis identified two to three distinct subgroups of participants with unique social trait profiles, showing a clear differentiation in motor resonant patterns upon different gaze cues that is in accordance with a recent neurobiological framework of attachment. Together, results demonstrate that motor resonance within a given social interaction may serve as a sensitive tracker of socio-interactive engagement, which allows to capture subclinical inter-individual variation in relevant social traits.

The influence of partner trustworthiness and relationship closeness on interpersonal trust in individuals with attachment anxiety: An ERP study

Interpersonal trust (IT) is a combination of individuals' cognitive evaluations of others' trustworthiness and affective considerations related to the relationships. Individuals' trust decisions overly relying on the intimacy of the relationship can be detrimental to their socialization. Attachment styles provide a theoretical framework for explaining individual differences in IT and the balance between cognition control and affective evaluation in social-information processing. However, it remains unclear whether high attachment anxiety (AX) individuals with high interpersonal needs exhibit non-socially adaptive trust decisions, characterized by an over-reliance on relationship closeness (RC), independent of partner trustworthiness (PT). A coin-toss task, combined with event-related potential (ERP), was utilized to explore the performance and temporal characteristics of trust decision-making among individuals with high and low AX under the influence of the two factors. The behavioral results showed that high-AX individuals tended to trust close others regardless of their trustworthiness, while low-AX individuals only trusted close others under low-PT conditions, with no differences in RC for high-PT. The ERP results revealed that high-AX individuals exhibited an enhanced positive P1 by low-trust partners, only discerning differences in RC for high-trust partners (more negative N2 by strangers than friends), reflecting poor conflict-detection abilities confronted with low-trust partners. Low-AX individuals' neural activity showed higher consistency with their behavioral performance, indicating that trust in close others under low-trust conditions was due to the fewer conflicts elicited and higher expectations of them, reflecting smaller N2 and larger P3. Overall, these findings indicated that high-AX individuals' IT decision-making was primarily influenced by their reliance on affective evaluation in information processing and weaker cognitive-control abilities, highlighting the contribution of attachment to social-information processing.

The mediating role of mentalization and integrative self-knowledge in the relationship between childhood trauma and fear of intimacy

Introduction

Since intimacy is a fundamental human need within social relationships, and recognizing that a fear of intimacy correlates with various negative consequences, it becomes crucial to examine the origins and factors that contribute to addressing this issue. This research aimed to investigate the mediating roles of mentalization and integrative self-knowledge in the link between childhood trauma and the fear of intimacy.

Methods

Conducted as correlational descriptive research, our study incorporates a total sample of 303 adult women and men participants aged 20 to 50 in Tehran using the convenience sampling method. They completed the Fear of Intimacy Scale (FIS), the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), the Mentalization Scale (MentS), and the Integrative Self-Knowledge Scale (ISK). To analyze the research data at the descriptive level, frequency, percentage, standard deviation, and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used, while path analysis tested our hypotheses in SPSS version 26 and AMOS version 24. Fit indices were used to check the model's fit, and the mediation test was performed using the bootstrapping method. The fit indices revealed an excellent fit of the model with the data (χ2 = 1.51, χ2/df = 1.51, p = 0.219; RMSEA = 0.05; SRMR = 0.02; CFI = 0.99; NFI = 0.99; TLI = 0.99).

Results

Results indicate mentalization fully mediates the childhood trauma-fear of intimacy relationship (β = 0.14, p < 0.01). However, the indirect relationship between childhood trauma and fear of intimacy through integrative self-knowledge was insignificant. The results also showed that the path coefficient from mentalization to fear of intimacy was negative and significant (β = -0.41, p < 0.001), while the path coefficient from integrative self-knowledge to fear of intimacy was not significant (β = -0.02, p > 0.05).

Discussion

Based on the current findings indicating the complete mediation of mentalization and the insignificance of the mediation of integrative self-knowledge, we can deduce that enhancing the capacity for mentalization holds promise in effectively addressing intimacy-related issues. Overall, the study suggests mentalization effectively predicts the relationship between childhood trauma and fear of intimacy. This, in turn, may mitigate the detrimental effects of challenging childhood experiences on an individual's ability to engage in intimacy and cultivate emotional closeness.

The relationship between attachment, primary emotions and positive/negative spirituality: a path analysis

Objective

The present study investigates what may influence individuals to experience their religiosity/spirituality as either subjectively positive [religious or spiritual (r/s) wellbeing] or as negative (r/s struggles). Drawing on existing literature attachment insecurity and the seven primary emotions as outlined by Jaak Panksepp in Affective Neuroscience are identified as likely influences.

Methods

The final sample consisted of 340 participants (age: M = 36, SD = 14.2; 68.5% = female), among which 65% self-identified as religious/spiritual. A path analysis was conducted to test a proposed mediation model in which the expected effects of primary emotions (B-ANPS) on r/s wellbeing (MI-RSWB) and r/s struggles (RSSS) were mediated through attachment insecurity (ECR-RD8).

Results

The data indicated that attachment insecurity fully mediated the relationships between the primary emotions SADNESS and LUST with r/s struggles. Furthermore, the primary emotions FEAR and ANGER displayed small direct effects on both r/s struggles and r/s wellbeing. Overall, the model, which demonstrated excellent model fit, was able to explain 30% of the variance of r/s struggles, 24% of attachment insecurity and 5% of r/s wellbeing.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that primary emotions such as SADNESS and LUST substantially explain r/s struggles and that these relationships seem to be mediated through attachment. Moreover, r/s struggles seem to be qualitatively distinct from r/s wellbeing. Finally, a moderate link between LUST and attachment suggests that sexuality plays a significant role in (adult) attachment processes.

Neuromodulation of safety and surprise in the early stages of infant development: affective homeostatic regulation in bodily and mental functions

Developing a sense of internal safety and security depends mainly on others: numerous neuromodulators play a significant role in the homeostatic process, regulating the importance of proximity to a caregiver and experiencing feelings that enable us to regulate our interdependence with our conspecifics since birth. This array of neurofunctional structures have been called the SEPARATION DISTRESS system (now more commonly known as the PANIC/ GRIEF system). This emotional system is mainly involved in the production of depressive symptoms. The disruption of this essential emotional balance leads to the onset of feelings of panic followed by depression. We will focus on the neuropeptides that play a crucial role in social approach behavior in mammals, which enhance prosocial behavior and facilitate the consolidation of social bonds. We propose that most prosocial behaviors are regulated through the specific neuromodulators acting on salient intersubjective stimuli, reflecting an increased sense of inner confidence (safety) in social relationships. This review considers the neurofunctional link between the feelings that may ultimately be at the base of a sense of inner safety and the central neuromodulatory systems. This link may shed light on the clinical implications for the development of early mother-infant bonding and the depressive clinical consequences when this bond is disrupted, such as in post-partum depression, depressive feelings connected to, addiction, neurofunctional disorders, and psychological trauma.

A perspective-based analysis of attachment from prenatal period to second year postnatal life

Attachment is one of the foundational themes in the history of the psychological development of human beings. For this reason, we assume that it must be approached by taking into account multiple scientific perspectives. The present review aims at analyzing the state of the art regarding the genetic, neurobiological and cognitive mechanisms underlying the development of attachment bonding, considering the child as the frame of reference. We hypothesize that attachment may be present in prototypical forms even in the prenatal period, thus our analysis has a temporal origin in the intrauterine period preceding birth. The intrauterine period is assumed to be a period of maximum sensitivity to stimuli and in particular to those coming from a potential primary caregiver: the biological mother. We conclude with a reframing of the state of the art and propose that future research work would benefit from a superordinate model of attachment, capable of containing and regulating all its components and variables.

Brain oscillations during emotion regulation and the two-dimensional model of adult attachment

Emotion Regulation (ER) refers to the processes by which individuals influence their own emotions. It is a crucial aspect of human behavior, affecting everything from interpersonal relationships to mental health. The relationship between ER and Attachment Theory (AT) is pivotal. AT suggests that early bonds with primary caregivers influence future relationship expectations and behaviors. These initial experiences shape internal models of self and others, affecting how individuals regulate their emotions. Understanding the interplay between ER and AT is essential for comprehending the human affective system. In this study, we explored the neural underpinnings of ER, focusing on two distinct strategies: cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression. Using electroencephalography (EEG), we examined changes in neural oscillations from 52 adults during an ER task. Specifically, we observed increased frontal theta activity (3-6 Hz) during reappraisal compared to suppression strategies. This frontal theta activity suggests enhanced cognitive control engagement. Conversely, during suppression, we noted a decrease in beta frequency (15-30 Hz) activity from central electrodes, indicative of differing neural processes. Further integrating psychological theories, we explored the relationship between these neural markers and dimensions of human attachment. Employing the Experiences in Close Relationships-12 scale (ECR-12), we identified a negative correlation between attachment anxiety and frontal theta activity. Lower levels of attachment anxiety were associated with increased theta activity, reflecting potentially more effective emotion regulation. Additionally, we found that higher theta activity corresponded with fewer difficulties in emotional control measured by the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). Regarding central beta activity, our findings revealed an interesting correlation with Emotional Inattention, a concept tied to Attachment Avoidance. This suggests that central beta activity may serve as a neural marker for specific attachment-related ER processing. These results highlight the distinct neural pathways involved in different ER strategies and their relationship with the AT and neural responses during emotional processing.

Emotion regulation unveiled through the categorical lens of attachment

BACKGROUND

Emotion regulation, the process by which individuals manage and modify their emotional experiences, expressions, and responses to adaptively navigate and cope with various situations, plays a crucial role in daily life. Our study investigates the variations in emotion regulation strategies among individuals with different attachment styles (AS). Specifically, we examine how individuals with secure, anxious, avoidant, and fearful attachment styles effectively utilize cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression to regulate their emotions.

METHODS

A total of n = 98 adults were instructed to attend, reappraise, or suppress their emotions while viewing negative and neutral images from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) in an experimental emotion regulation task. After completing the task, participants rated the valence and arousal elicited by the images. Attachment styles were measured using the ECR-12 questionnaire and then categorized into four AS.

RESULTS

Our study revealed that individuals with secure AS (n = 39) effectively reduced displeasure through cognitive reappraisal but experienced levels of displeasure with expressive suppression. Anxious AS (n = 16) individuals successfully reduced displeasure using cognitive reappraisal but struggled to regulate arousal and effectively use expressive suppression. Avoidant AS (n = 24) individuals could reduce displeasure with both strategies but experienced high arousal during suppression attempts. Fearful AS (n = 19) individuals effectively regulated both displeasure and arousal using either strategy. However, Secure AS individuals showed superior reappraisal efficacy, significantly reducing arousal levels compared to the Fearful AS group. Both Secure and Avoidant AS groups experienced higher valence during reappraisal relative to a baseline, indicating a decrease in displeasure.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals with different AS exhibit variations in the effectiveness of their use of emotion regulation strategies. Our findings reinforce the significance of AS in shaping emotion regulation processes and emphasize the need for tailored approaches to support individuals with different attachment orientations.

Away from the herd: loneliness as a dysfunction of social alignment

The tendency of all humans to experience loneliness at some point in their lives implies that it serves an adaptive function. Building on biological theories of herding in animals, according to which collective movement emerges from local interactions that are based on principles of attraction, repulsion and alignment, we propose an approach that synthesizes these principles with theories of loneliness in humans. We present here the 'herding model of loneliness' that extends these principles into the psychological domain. We hold that these principles serve as basic building blocks of human interactions and propose that distorted attraction and repulsion tendencies may lead to inability to align properly with others, which may be a core component in loneliness emergence and perpetuation. We describe a neural model of herding in humans and suggest that loneliness may be associated with altered interactions between the gap/error detection, reward signaling, threat and observation-execution systems. The proposed model offers a framework to predict the behavior of lonely individuals and thus may inform intervention designs for reducing loneliness intensity.

Differential effects of attachment security on visual fixation to facial expressions of emotion in 14-month-old infants: an eye-tracking study

Introduction

Models of attachment and information processing suggest that the attention infants allocate to social information might occur in a schema-driven processing manner according to their attachment pattern. A major source of social information for infants consists of facial expressions of emotion. We tested for differences in attention to facial expressions and emotional discrimination between infants classified as securely attached (B), insecure-avoidant (A), and insecure-resistant (C).

Methods

Sixty-one 14-month-old infants participated in the Strange Situation Procedure and an experimental task of Visual Habituation and Visual Paired-Comparison Task (VPC). In the Habituation phase, a Low-Arousal Happy face (habituation face) was presented followed by a VPC task of 6 trials composed of two contrasting emotional faces always involving the same actress: the one used in habituation (trial old face) and a new one (trial new face) portraying changes in valence (Low-Arousal Angry face), arousal (High-Arousal Happy face), or valence + arousal (High-Arousal Angry face). Measures of fixation time (FT) and number of fixations (FC) were obtained for the habituation face, the trial old face, the trial new face, and the difference between the trial old face and the trial new face using an eye-tracking system.

Results

We found a higher FT and FC for the trial new face when compared with the trial old face, regardless of the emotional condition (valence, arousal, valence + arousal contrasts), suggesting that 14-month-old infants were able to discriminate different emotional faces. However, this effect differed according to attachment pattern: resistant-attached infants (C) had significantly higher FT and FC for the new face than patterns B and A, indicating they may remain hypervigilant toward emotional change. On the contrary, avoidant infants (A) revealed significantly longer looking times to the trial old face, suggesting overall avoidance of novel expressions and thus less sensitivity to emotional change.

Discussion

Overall, these findings corroborate that attachment is associated with infants' social information processing.

Enhancing EEG-based attachment style prediction: unveiling the impact of feature domains

Introduction

Attachment styles are crucial in human relationships and have been explored through neurophysiological responses and EEG data analysis. This study investigates the potential of EEG data in predicting and differentiating secure and insecure attachment styles, contributing to the understanding of the neural basis of interpersonal dynamics.

Methods

We engaged 27 participants in our study, employing an XGBoost classifier to analyze EEG data across various feature domains, including time-domain, complexity-based, and frequency-based attributes.

Results

The study found significant differences in the precision of attachment style prediction: a high precision rate of 96.18% for predicting insecure attachment, and a lower precision of 55.34% for secure attachment. Balanced accuracy metrics indicated an overall model accuracy of approximately 84.14%, taking into account dataset imbalances.

Discussion

These results highlight the challenges in using EEG patterns for attachment style prediction due to the complex nature of attachment insecurities. Individuals with heightened perceived insecurity predominantly aligned with the insecure attachment category, suggesting a link to their increased emotional reactivity and sensitivity to social cues. The study underscores the importance of time-domain features in prediction accuracy, followed by complexity-based features, while noting the lesser impact of frequency-based features. Our findings advance the understanding of the neural correlates of attachment and pave the way for future research, including expanding demographic diversity and integrating multimodal data to refine predictive models.

Hand-blink reflex modulation: The role of primary emotions and attachment dimensions

The hand-blink reflex (HBR) is a subcortical response elicited by the electrical stimulation of the median nerve. HBR magnitude is enhanced when the stimulated hand is close to the face and is modulated by high-level structures according to the perceived threat magnitude. Psychological factors may contribute to threat evaluation and possibly to HBR amplitude modulation. In this study, we assessed distinctively emotional and relational aspects of personality and evaluated their associations with the HBR response, or lack thereof, in healthy subjects. Seventy-one volunteers filled the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale, the Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Form Y questionnaires and underwent HBR recording. We found that the HBR could be evoked only in 50.7% of all subjects (responders). Non-responders subjects showed higher scores in the avoidance dimension (p = .005), and lower scores in the care dimension (p = .008), compared with responders. In responders, regression analysis showed a negative association of HBR amplitude (difference in near vs. far responses) with anger dimension and a positive association with state anxiety (R2  = 0.239). A positive association also emerged with HBR latency and fear dimension (R2  = 0.419). We conclude that primary emotional and relational factors may play an important role in the modulation of brainstem circuits mediating the HBR response. Our results may also contribute to the question about the absence of the HBR in about half of the subjects since high-level cognitive processes seem to play an important role in the differentiation between responder and non-responder.

Neuroscience literacy in educators' training programs in Asia: A call to action

The center of learning is the brain and the disciplinary science that examines its structure and functioning, and the nervous system as a whole, is called neuroscience. The assimilation of essential neuroscience-related content by educational systems has gained global interest, given the relevance of learning to education. Recognizing the significance of frontline workers, several governmental agencies and educational institutions have launched initiatives to foster the inclusion of neuroscience literacy in educators' training programs. Their success, however, has depended on collaborative efforts among educators, researchers, and other educational stakeholders, and the process has involved considerable debate. Here, we aim to articulate a rationale to promote neuroscience literacy for educators. In doing so, we revisit prior arguments on the importance of training educators and build up on other reasons to advocate for this kind of endeavor considering cutting-edge research. Following this, we discuss critical elements to advance neuroscience literacy for educators and examine the most important challenges to execute successful initiatives. Finally, we appraise the significance for Asia, reviewing the scholarly literature on educators' prior experiences, and highlight the case of Singapore as an exemplar initiative that catalizes human capital, infrastructure, and strategies to advance neuroscience literacy. We conclude by arguing that governmental agencies and educational institutions should strengthen their efforts to accommodate their programmatic plans and agendas to embrace neuroscience literacy in educators' training programs. This global trend has arrived to stay.

[Old age and attachment theory, a systematic review of attachment typology, continuity, prevalence and association with psychological and health variables in older adults]

The aim of this paper is to review the research on attachment theory during old age in the last 10 years, in order to obtain: a) the prevalence of different types of attachment, b) the assessment of attachment methods, c) the relationship established between attachment and other psychosocial and health variables in the aging process. A systematic search of PsycINFO, PsycArticles, WOS, and Scopus identified 17 studies, in which attachment had been assessed in a population of 7118 older adults. The results of this research present a clear evolution and some differences, with respect to the previous systematic 2010 review. Regarding the prevalence of the different types of attachment, it is confirmed that secure attachment and avoidant attachment are more abundant in old age than in adulthood or youth people. There is no consensus on the instruments used for the evaluation, and results are presented that associate insecure attachment with depression, life satisfaction, physical illness and loneliness. The attachment construct appears as an explanatory and mediating variable, directly involved in the psychology and psychopathology of old age.

Neuroimaging of social motivation during winning and losing: Associations with social anhedonia across the psychosis spectrum

BACKGROUND

Individuals with psychosis spectrum disorders (PSD) have difficulty developing social relationships. This difficulty may reflect reduced response to social feedback involving functional alterations in brain regions that support the social motivation system: ventral striatum, orbital frontal cortex, insula, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, and amygdala. Whether these alterations span PSD is unknown.

METHODS

71 individuals with PSD, 27 unaffected siblings, and 37 control participants completed a team-based fMRI task. After each trial, participants received performance feedback paired with the expressive face of a teammate or opponent. A 2 × 2 (win versus loss outcome x teammate versus opponent) repeated measures ANOVA by group was performed on activation in the five key regions of interest during receipt of feedback.

RESULTS

Across groups, three social motivation regions, ventral striatum, orbital frontal cortex, and amygdala, showed sensitivity to feedback (significant main effect of outcome), with greater activation during win versus loss trials, regardless of whether the feedback was from a teammate or opponent. In PSD, ventral striatum and orbital frontal cortex activation to win feedback was negatively correlated with social anhedonia scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Patterns of neural activation during social feedback were similar in PSD, their unaffected siblings, and healthy controls. Across the psychosis spectrum, activity in key social motivation regions during social feedback was associated with individual differences in social anhedonia.

Attachment Security and Cortical Activity Measured by Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy During a Working Memory Task in Healthy Young Adults

Introduction

Attachment style has been associated with socio-emotional outcomes, however little evidence suggests a possible association with executive functioning. Few studies have demonstrated that attachment style mediates working memory and learning relationships. We hypothesized that attachment style affects performance and cortical activity patterns of working memory.

Methods

We compared working memory performance and cortical activity in securely and insecurely attached first-year college students (N=49) using three n-back task conditions. Cortical activity was recorded by functional near-infrared spectroscopy during these three conditions of the n-back task. Attachment style was assessed using the Relationship Scale Questionnaire, categorized into four groups.

Results

Both study groups showed similar working memory performance. The cortical representation of working memory was different between the two groups. The securely attached group demonstrated higher activity in the right superior frontal and superior-medial frontal areas across all n-back conditions as well as in the right superior frontal cortex during the two-back and three-back conditions. The insecurely attached group displayed higher activity in the bilateral supplementary motor area and the left premotor area only during the three-back condition.

Conclusion

These findings emphasize the potential influence of attachment style on the cortical representation of working memory. Different activity maps between the two groups may reflect varying cognitive strategies employed to achieve a comparable working memory performance. Moreover, these results suggest that each style may have a distinct strategy to achieve attachment-relevant and irrelevant neurocognitive tasks.

Mentalization Scale (MentS): Validity and reliability of the Iranian version in a sample of nonclinical adults

INTRODUCTION

Mentalizing incapacity is increasingly identified as a common factor in psychopathology. The Mentalization Scale (MentS) is a cost-effective measure built upon the dimensional model of mentalizing. We aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Iranian version of MentS.

METHODS

Two samples of community-based adults (N1  = 450, N2  = 445) completed different batteries of self-report measures. In addition to MentS, participants completed measures of reflective functioning and attachment insecurities in the first sample and a measure of emotion dysregulation in the second sample.

RESULTS

Due to the conflicting results of confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses, an item-parceling approach was applied, which replicated the original three-factor structure of MentS, yielding Self-Related Mentalization, Other-Related Mentalization, and Motivation to Mentalize. The reliability and convergent validity of MentS were supported in both samples.

CONCLUSION

Our findings provided preliminary evidence for using the Iranian version of MentS in nonclinical populations as a reliable and valid measure.

Attachment-Related Differences in Emotion Regulation in Adults: A Systematic Review on Attachment Representations

In recent years, there has been an increase in the prevalence of mental disorders connected with affective dysregulation and insecure attachment. Therefore, it is even more important to understand the interplay between an individual's attachment representation and patterns of emotion regulation. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review to examine this association. PsycInfo, PsyArticles, and PubMed were searched for studies that examined attachment-related differences in emotion regulation in adults. To examine the unconscious attachment representation, only studies using the Adult Attachment Interview or the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System were included. Thirty-seven peer-reviewed studies (with a total of 2006 subjects) matched the PICO criteria. Emotion regulation was measured via four objective approaches: autonomic nervous system, brain activity, biochemistry, or nonverbal behavior. Across all measurements, results reveal a significant correlation between attachment representation and emotion regulation. Secure attachment correlates consistently with balanced emotion regulation, whereas it is impaired in insecure and dysfunctional in unresolved attachment. Specifically, unresolved individuals display counterintuitive responses and fail to use attachment as a resource. Insecure-dismissing attachment is associated with an emotionally deactivating strategy, while on a physiological, biochemical, and nonverbal level, emotional stress is still present. There is still a lack of studies examining preoccupied individuals. In addition to interpreting the results, we also discuss the risk of bias, implications for psychotherapy and coaching, and an outlook for future research.

ERP and attachment dimensions as predictors of seeking care or food comfort in stressful situations

In this study, we aimed to test the association of the Late Positive Potential (LPP) response and attachment dimensions in the choice of care/food pictures and its reaction time (RT) in threatening versus neutral conditions. Fifty-two participants (38 females, M_age 22.62) responded to the ECR questionnaire and were exposed to adequate visual stimuli, during EEG recording. Results showed that threatening stimuli increase the choice of care, decrease RT, and increase LPP magnitude in centro-parietal areas (Cpz, Pz, P3 and P4). Food choice was lower, with increased RT. Furthermore, larger LPP magnitude in centro-parietal cluster was associated with increased RT in the choice of care. Considering the dimensions of attachment, in threatening conditions, while anxiety was not associated with RT and care/food choice, avoidance was associated with an increase in care choice and RT. In conclusion, the specific association of increased RT in care choice with high LPP magnitude centro-parietal cluster may be explained in terms of a functional interference of these areas in the choice of care, but not of food. Further, we postulate that the increased RT of avoidant individuals may reflect a more articulated choice process.

The basolateral amygdala to lateral septum circuit is critical for regulating social novelty in mice

The lateral septum (LS) is a basal forebrain GABAergic region that is implicated in social novelty. However, the neural circuits and cell signaling pathways that converge on the LS to mediate social behaviors aren't well understood. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that signaling of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) through its receptor TrkB plays important roles in social behavior. BDNF is not locally produced in LS, but we demonstrate that nearly all LS GABAergic neurons express TrkB. Local TrkB knock-down in LS neurons decreased social novelty recognition and reduced recruitment of neural activity in LS neurons in response to social novelty. Since BDNF is not synthesized in LS, we investigated which inputs to LS could serve as potential BDNF sources for controlling social novelty recognition. We demonstrate that selectively ablating inputs to LS from the basolateral amygdala (BLA), but not from ventral CA1 (vCA1), impairs social novelty recognition. Moreover, depleting BDNF selectively in BLA-LS projection neurons phenocopied the decrease in social novelty recognition caused by either local LS TrkB knockdown or ablation of BLA-LS inputs. These data support the hypothesis that BLA-LS projection neurons serve as a critical source of BDNF for activating TrkB signaling in LS neurons to control social novelty recognition.

Charting the social neuroscience of human attachment (SoNeAt)

This introduction aims to set out the potential as well as some of the pitfalls of the newly emerging area of the Social Neuroscience of Human Attachment (SoNeAt). To organize and interconnect the burgeoning empirical studies in this line of research, including those in this special issue, we outline a programmatic framework including an extension of our conceptual proposals NAMA and NAMDA to guide future research. We hope that this special issue will act as a stimulus for redoubling our efforts advancing the newly emerging SoNeAt area bridging attachment theory and social neuroscience.

Negative parenting styles and social adjustment of university students: a moderated chain mediation model

This study aimed to explore the relationship between parenting styles and the social adjustment of university students as well as the mediating effects of attachment avoidance and friendship quality. We further examined the moderating role of gender. This study used convenience sampling to recruit 501 Chinese university students to complete the Chinese version of the Negative Parenting subscale of EMBU, Attachment Avoidance Scale, Friendship Quality Questionnaire, and Social Adjustment Scale. SPSS 24.0 and the Process 3.5 macro program were used to carry out descriptive statistical and correlation analyses and mediating effect and moderated chain-mediating effect tests on the data. The analyses revealed that negative parenting styles significantly negatively predicted social adjustment in university students. Attachment avoidance mediated the relationship between negative parenting styles and social adjustment in university students, and friendship quality mediated the relationship between negative parenting styles and social adjustment in university students. Attachment avoidance and friendship quality played a chain-mediating role in the relationship between negative parenting styles and university students' social adjustment. Gender moderated the effect of negative parenting style on friendship quality among university students. These results show how negative parenting styles affect college students' social adjustment and its underlying mechanisms in the context of China's collectivist culture and high power distance and further reveal the gender differences involved, providing insights to better understand the factors influencing college students' social adjustment.

Insecure adult attachment and reflective functioning as mechanisms of the relationship between traumatic life events and suicidal ideation: A path analysis

The relationship between traumatic life events and increased suicide risk has been well reported in literature. However, the complex nature of suicidality phenomena still hinders our ability to comprehend the mediation mechanism underlying this association. In this study, we examined the mediating role of adult attachment and reflective functioning in the relationship between traumatic life events and suicidal ideation. Nine hundred and fifty Italian adults completed an online survey evaluating traumatic life events, adult attachment, reflective functioning and suicidal ideation. The path analysis showed that the positive relationship between traumatic life events and suicidal ideation was partially mediated by attachment anxiety and reflective functioning. From a clinical point of view, these results support the relevance of evaluating and improving patients’ ability to mentalize as a part of psychotherapeutic intervention aimed at reducing suicidality in people with a history of traumatic experiences and attachment anxiety.

Introspective self-narrative modulates the neuronal response during the emphatic process: an event-related potentials (ERPs) study

Empathy is the ability to perceive and understand others' emotional states generating a similar mental state in the self. Previous behavioural studies have shown that self-reflection can enhance the empathic process. The present event-related potentials' study aims to investigate whether self-reflection, elicited by an introspective self-narrative task, modulates the neuronal response to eye expressions and improves the accuracy of empathic process. The 29 participants included in the final sample were divided into two groups: an introspection group (IG) (n = 15), who received an introspective writing task, and a control group (CG) (n = 14), who completed a not-introspective writing task. For both groups, the electroencephalographic and behavioural responses to images depicting eye expressions taken from the "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" Theory of Mind test were recorded pre- (T0) and post- (T1) 7 days of writing. The main result showed that only the IG presented a different P300 amplitude in response to eye expressions at T1 compared to T0 on the left centre-frontal montage. No significant results on accuracy at T1 compared to T0 were found. These findings seem to suggest that the introspective writing task modulates attention and implicit evaluation of the socio-emotional stimuli. Results are discussed with reference to the hypothesis that such neuronal modulation is linked to an increase in the embodied simulation process underlying affective empathy.

The influence of social signals on the self-experience of pain: A neuroimaging review

Researchers in cognitive neuroscience have investigated extensively how psychological factors shape the processing and perception of pain using behavioral, physiological, and neuroimaging methods. However, social influences of pain, an essential part of biopsychosocial pain models, have received relatively little attention. This is particularly true for the neurobiological mechanisms underlying social modulations on pain. Therefore, this review discusses the findings of recent neuroimaging studies measuring the effects of social manipulations on pain perception (e.g., verbal and non-verbal social signals, social interaction style, conformity, social support, and sociocultural mediators). Finally, a schematic summary of the different social modulatory themes is presented.

Cerebellar engagement in the attachment behavioral system

Brain structural bases of individual differences in attachment are not yet fully clarified. Given the evidence of relevant cerebellar contribution to cognitive, affective, and social functions, the present research was aimed at investigating potential associations between attachment dimensions (through the Attachment Style Questionnaire, ASQ) and cerebellar macro- and micro-structural measures (Volumetric and Diffusion Tensor Imaging data). In a sample of 79 healthy subjects, cerebellar and neocortical volumetric data were correlated with ASQ scores at the voxel level within specific Regions Of Interest. Also, correlations between ASQ scores and age, years of education, anxiety and depression levels were performed to control for the effects of sociodemographic and psychological variables on neuroimaging results. Positive associations between scores of the Preoccupation with Relationships (ASQ subscale associated to insecure/anxious attachment) and cortical volume were found in the cerebellum (right lobule VI and left Crus 2) and neocortex (right medial OrbitoFrontal Cortex, OFC) regions. Cerebellar contribution to the attachment behavioral system reflects the more general cerebellar engagement in the regulation of emotional and social behaviors. Cerebellar properties of timing, prediction, and learning well integrate with OFC processing, supporting the regulation of attachment experiences. Cerebellar areas might be rightfully included in the attachment behavioral system.

Attachment style dimensions are associated with neural activation during projection of mental states

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between attachment dimensions and neural correlates in response to the Rorschach inkblots. Twenty-seven healthy volunteers were recruited for the electroencephalographic registration during a visual presentation of the Rorschach inkblots and polygonal shapes. The Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ) was administered to participants. Correlations between the ASQ scores and standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA) intensities were performed. The Rorschach inkblots elicited several projective responses greater than the polygonal shapes (distortions, human and total movements, and embellishments). Only during the Rorschach inkblots presentation, discomfort with closeness and relationships as secondary subscales were negatively correlated with the activation of right hippocampus, parahippocampus, amygdala, and insula; need for approval subscale was negatively correlated with the activation of orbital and prefrontal cortex and left hippocampus. Moreover, the correlations between attachment dimensions and neural activation during the Rorschach inkblots were significantly higher compared to the same correlations in response to polygonal shapes. These findings suggest that attachment style can modulate brain activation during the projective activity of the Rorschach inkblots.

A Short Functional Neuroimaging Assay Using Attachment Scenes to Recruit Neural Correlates of Social Cognition—A Replication Study

Attachment theory provides a conceptual framework to understand the impact of early child–caregiver experiences, such as loss or separation, on adult functioning and psychopathology. In the current study, scenes from the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP), a validated, commonly used standardized diagnostic instrument to assess adult attachment representations, were used to develop a short fMRI assay eliciting the neural correlates of encoding of potentially hurtful and threatening social situations such as social losses, rejections or loneliness. Data from healthy participants (N = 19) showed activations in brain areas associated with social cognition and semantic knowledge during exposure to attachment-related scenes compared to control scenes. Extensive activation of the temporal poles was observed, suggesting the use of semantic knowledge for generating social concepts and scripts. This knowledge may underlie our ability to explain and predict social interactions, a specific aspect of theory of mind or mentalization. In this replication study, we verified the effectiveness of a modified fMRI assay to assess the external validity of a previously used imaging paradigm to investigate the processing of emotionally negatively valenced and painful social interactions. Our data confirm the recruitment of brain areas associated with social cognition with our very short neuroimaging assay.

Insecure Adult Attachment Style and PTSD Symptom Severity among Firefighters: The Role of Distress Tolerance

Trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among firefighters are prevalent and well-documented. Insecure adult attachment style (AAS) and distress tolerance (DT) present two factors with demonstrated relevance to the etiology and maintenance of PTSD. Few studies have examined these constructs in relation to PTSD symptomatology among firefighter populations. The present investigation examined the indirect effect of insecure romantic AAS (i.e., anxious AAS, avoidant AAS) on PTSD symptom severity through DT among firefighters. Exploratory analyses examined this model with each of the PTSD symptom clusters as outcomes. The sample was comprised of 105 firefighters (Mage=40.43, SD=9.15, 95.2% male) recruited from various departments in the southern U.S. An indirect effect was calculated using 10,000 bootstrapped samples. Indirect effects models in the primary analyses were significant when both anxious AAS (β=.20, SE=.10, CI=.06-.43) and avoidant AAS (β=.28, SE=.12, CI=.08-.54) were evaluated as predictors. Effects were evident after accounting for gender, relationship status, years of fire service, and trauma load (i.e., number of potentially traumatic event types experienced). Exploratory analyses revealed that anxious and avoidant AAS are both indirectly related to the PTSD intrusion, negative alterations in cognitions and mood, and alterations in arousal and reactivity symptom clusters through DT. Anxious AAS also demonstrated an indirect association with PTSD avoidance symptoms through DT. Attachment styles may influence PTSD symptoms among firefighters through a firefighter's perceived ability to withstand emotional distress. This line of inquiry has potential to inform specialized intervention programs for firefighters. Clinical and empirical implications are discussed.

Neural correlates of attachment in adolescents with trauma: a preliminary study on frustrative non-reward

Despite the proposed early life origins of attachment style and its implications for risk for psychopathology, little is known about its neurodevelopmental course. Adolescence represents a key transition period when neural substrates of emotion regulation and reward undergo dramatic maturational shifts. Thus, maladaptive coping strategies associated with insecure attachment styles may have an exaggerated effect during adolescence. The current study, therefore, examined the neural correlates of insecure attachment in a diverse sample of adolescents using a frustrative non-reward task (i.e. repeatedly being denied an expected reward). Although there were no significant interactions in the whole-brain activation averaged over the course of the task, the use of complementary analytic approaches (connectivity, change in activation over the course of the task) revealed widespread alterations associated with avoidant attachment during the immediate reaction to, and ensuing recovery from, being denied a reward. Most strikingly, increased avoidant attachment, adjusting for anxious attachment, predicted functional connectivity and change in activity over time in amygdala-prefrontal and frontostriatal networks to reward blocked vs received trials. These patterns were in the opposite direction compared to those exhibited by adolescents lower in avoidant attachment. The findings suggest that negative emotional experiences, such as receiving frustrating feedback, may be uniquely aversive internal experiences for avoidantly attached adolescents and provide preliminary evidence that early coping strategies may persist into adolescence in the form of altered emotion- and reward-related neural patterns.

Intimate Partner Stalking/Pursuit: A Pathophysiology of Attachment Style

Approximately half of stalking victims were previously in an intimate relationship with the perpetrator, and attachment style is strongly correlated with intimate partner stalking (IPS). In the first study to investigate polyvagal theory in IPS, we examined 58 adult participants' attachment style, sex, history of IPS, vagal tone activity (i.e., heart rate variability; HRV), and cognitive processing disruptions (i.e., Stroop performance) in either participants who wished a relationship or in those who wished to maintain a relationship post-break-up. Results showed that males were more likely to perpetrate IPS than females. Anxious-style participants were more likely to have perpetrated IPS, showed greater cognitive disruption and HRV than avoidant-style participants. Our results support theories that attachment is a biological imperative with neurobiological implications that can be indexed physiologically and cognitively. This study is the first to demonstrate a pathophysiology of attachment style to IPS, in a replicable way. IPS is discussed as reflective of disordered arousal and related to anxiety. Recommendations for further research and clinically-relevant interventions are presented.

Attachment towards the Owner Is Associated with Spontaneous Sleep EEG Parameters in Family Dogs

Simple Summary

Dogs have been shown to form attachment bonds towards their owners analogous to the human infant-parent attachment. In humans, the neurological background of variation in attachment and similar trait-like social behaviors has been described. It is known that certain sleep parameters are in association with an individual’s attachment-related traits. In the current study, we provide the first evidence that dogs’ attachment towards their owner is also associated to dogs’ sleep structure (the time they spend in the different sleep stages) as well as to their brain activity during sleep. Thus, as in humans, when dogs sleep in a novel environment (in the presence of their owners), differences in their attachment bond are reflected in their sleep EEG characteristics.

Abstract

Affective neuroscience studies have demonstrated the impact of social interactions on sleep quality. In humans, trait-like social behaviors, such as attachment, are related to sleep brain activity patterns. Our aim was to investigate associations between companion dogs’ spontaneous brain activity during sleep (in the presence of the owner) and their relevant behavior in a task-free social context assessing their attachment towards the owner. In random order, each dog participated in a non-invasive sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) measurement and in the Strange Situation Test (SST) to assess their attachment behavior. We found that higher attachment scores were associated with more time spent in NREM sleep, lower NREM alpha power activity and lower NREM alpha–delta anticorrelation. Our results reveal that, when dogs sleep in a novel environment in the company of their owners, differences in their attachment are reflected in their sleep EEG characteristics. This could be best explained by the different degree that owners could be used as a safe haven in an unfamiliar environment and during the unusual procedure of the first EEG measurement.

Individual differences in social attachment: A multi-disciplinary perspective

Social behavior varies across both individuals and species. Research to explain this variation falls under the purview of multiple disciplines, each with its own theoretical and empirical traditions. Integration of these disciplinary traditions is key to developing a holistic perspective. Here, we review research on the biology of social attachment, a phenomena in which individuals develop strong affective connections to one another. We provide a historical overview of research on social attachment from psychological, ethological and neurobiological perspectives. As a case study, we describe work on pair-bonding in prairie voles, a socially monogamous rodent. This specific topic takes advantage of many biological perspectives and techniques to explain social bonds. Lastly, we conclude with an overview of multi-dimensional conceptual frameworks that can be used to explain social phenomena, and we propose a new framework for research on individual variation in attachment behavior. These conceptual frameworks originate from philosophy, physics, ethology, cognitive science and neuroscience. The application and synthesis of such frameworks offers a rich opportunity to advance understanding of social behavior and its mechanisms.

Infant Developmental Outcomes: Influence of Prenatal Maternal-Fetal Attachment, Adult Attachment, Maternal Well-Being, and Perinatal Loss

Identification of prenatal characteristics that predict later infant development may afford opportunities for early intervention, potentially optimizing childhood development outcomes. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of selected prenatal factors (maternal–fetal attachment, maternal adult attachment, maternal well-being, and previous perinatal loss) on later infant development. Pregnant women were recruited from two antenatal clinics at one tertiary hospital and asked to complete self-report questionnaires. The Bayley’s Scales of Infant and Toddler Development were then completed one to two years after their baby’s birth. Independent samples t-tests, correlational analyses, and multivariate linear regression models were conducted. Results from 40 dyads revealed that more favorable maternal–fetal attachment, more secure/less anxious maternal attachment, and higher maternal well-being predicted maternal reports of infant adaptive behavior regardless of previous perinatal loss. Infants of women without perinatal loss scored higher in external observer-rated cognitive development compared to infants of women with previous perinatal loss. While further research is required, findings indicate that a mother’s well-being and her relationship with her baby during pregnancy contributes to positive perceptions of her infant’s daily living skills. Supporting the parenting of women with perinatal loss is required to, in turn, promote optimal cognitive development in infants.

Grieving as a form of learning: Insights from neuroscience applied to grief and loss

Recent grief research suggests that the influential cognitive stress theory should be updated with evidence from cognitive neuroscience. Combining human and animal neuroscience with attachment theory, we propose that semantic knowledge of the everlasting nature of the attachment figure and episodic, autobiographical memories of the death are in conflict, perhaps explaining the duration of grieving and generating predictions about complications in prolonged grief disorder (PGD). Our gone-but-also-everlasting model emphasizes that grieving may be a form of learning, requiring time and experiential feedback. Difficulties before loss, such as spousal dependency or pre-existing hippocampal volume, can prolong learning and predict PGD. Complications such as avoidance, rumination, and stress-induced hippocampal atrophy may also develop after loss and create functional or structural mechanisms predicting PGD.

Activating the attachment system modulates neural responses to threat in refugees with PTSD

Social attachment systems are disrupted for refugees through trauma and forced displacement. This study tested how the attachment system mitigates neural responses to threat in refugees with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Refugees with PTSD (N = 28) and refugee trauma-exposed controls (N = 22) viewed threat-related stimuli primed by attachment cues during a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan. Group differences and the moderating effects of avoidant or anxious attachment style and grief related to separation from family on brain activity and connectivity patterns were examined. Separation grief was associated with increased amygdala but decreased ventromedial prefrontal cortical (VMPFC) activity to the attachment prime and decreased VMPFC and hippocampal activity to attachment primed threat in the PTSD (vs trauma-exposed control) group. Avoidant attachment style was connected with increased dorsal frontoparietal attention regional activity to attachment prime cues in the PTSD group. Anxious attachment style was associated with reduced left amygdala connectivity with left medial prefrontal regions to attachment primed threat in the PTSD group. Separation grief appears to reduce attachment buffering of threat reactivity in refugees with PTSD, while avoidant and anxious attachment style modulated attentional and prefrontal regulatory mechanisms in PTSD, respectively. Considering social attachments in refugees could be important to post-trauma recovery, based within changes in key emotion regulation brain systems.

Adult attachment style moderates the effect of oxytocin on neural responses to infant emotional faces

Oxytocin (OT) is known for its positive influence on maternal motivation and behavior, however, the effects of intranasal oxytocin (IN-OT) on neural activity during the perception of infant stimuli are often inconsistent. These discrepancies further reveal the need to take into account individual differences in IN-OT research. The present study aims to examine whether the effects of IN-OT on maternal-related neural responses to infant faces were moderated by participants' attachment style. Using a between-groups, double-blind, placebo-controlled design, 65 nulliparous females were randomly assigned to groups receiving a single dose of 24 IU oxytocin or a placebo via intranasal administration. The neural responses of participants were assessed during a facial recognition task with joy, neutral, and crying infant faces. The results indicated that females with high levels of attachment anxiety exhibited decreased right amygdala activity in response to infant joy faces and decreased bilateral insula activity in response to infant crying faces following IN-OT. Meanwhile, IN-OT enhanced bilateral amygdala and left inferior orbital frontal cortex (OFC) activity in response to infant crying faces in females with high levels of attachment avoidance. In addition, some beneficial effects of IN-OT were also observed in females with low levels of attachment avoidance or anxiety. Our findings demonstrated that the beneficial effects of IN-OT on neural responses to infant faces may depend on individual differences in adult attachment style, thereby contributing to our understanding of the role of OT in maternal caregiving.

Oxytocin increases perceived competence and social-emotional engagement with brands

Humans express loyalty to consumer brands much like they do in human relationships. The neuroactive chemical oxytocin is an important biological substrate of human attachment and this study tested whether consumer-brand relationships can be influenced by oxytocin administration. We present a mathematical model of brand attachment that generates empirically-testable hypotheses. The model is tested by administering synthetic oxytocin or placebo to male and female participants (N = 77) who received information about brands and had an opportunity to purchase branded products. We focused on two brand personality dimensions: warmth and competence. Oxytocin increased perceptions of brand competence but not brand warmth relative to placebo. We also found that participants were willing to pay more for branded products through its effect on brand competence. When writing about one's favorite brands, oxytocin enhanced the use of positive emotional language as well as words related to family and friends. These findings provide preliminary evidence that consumers build relationships with brands using the biological mechanisms that evolved to form human attachments.

Hypothalamus volume in men: Investigating associations with paternal status, self-reported caregiving beliefs, and adult attachment style

Most studies on mammalian caregiving and attachment focused on the mother-child relationship, particularly in humans. Yet, changing societal roles of male caregivers have highlighted the necessity for research with fathers.We examined the volume of the hypothalamus, an important subcortical brain area for caregiving and attachment, in N = 50 fathering (child age 5-6 years) and N = 45 non-fathering men using a novel technique to identify the hypothalamus in 3T MRI. We furthermore employed three self-report measures to assess interindividual differences in adult attachment style across all men and caregiving beliefs in fathers.While we did not observe any significant difference in hypothalamus volume between fathers and non-fathers or associations between hypothalamus volume and self-reported adult attachment style across all men, self-reported caregiving beliefs were positively related to total hypothalamus volume in fathers. A follow-up analysis showed that fathers' self-reported belief that a father's role is important to child development was specifically related to tuberal hypothalamus volume, while self-reported enjoyment of spending time with the child was not associated with sub-regional hypothalamus volume.Together, these findings suggest that interindividual variability in self-reported caregiving beliefs in fathers is related to brain structure, warranting further research.

The Study of Security Priming on Avoidant Attentional Biases: Combining Microsaccadic Eye-Movement Measurement With a Dot-Probe Task

Microsaccades are small fixational eye movements that have shown to index covert attentional shifts. The present experiment combined microsaccades with performance measures from a dot-probe task to study influences of attachment security priming on the attentional biases of individuals high in attachment avoidance. Security priming is an experimental manipulation aimed at boosting felt security. Using a randomized, mixed design, we measured differences in attentional vigilance toward angry and neutral faces as a function of priming (neutral vs. secure) and attachment avoidance. Individuals high in avoidance habitually tend to withdraw from, or otherwise dismiss, emotionally salient stimuli. Here, we operationalized attentional withdrawal based on both task performance in the dot-probe task and microsaccadic movements. In addition, unlike previous studies where priming salience for the individual participant has been unclear, we used a standardized narrative method for attachment script assessment, securing an indication of how strongly each participant was primed. Dot-probe data significantly captured the link between avoidance and attentional disengagement, though from all facial stimuli (angry and neutral). Although microsaccadic movements did not capture avoidant attentional disengagement, they positively correlated to dot-probe data suggesting measurement convergence. Avoidance was associated with weaker security priming and no overall effect of priming on attention was found, indicating a need for further exploration of suitable priming methods to bypass avoidant deactivation. Our results provide a first indication that, as an implicit looking measure, microsaccadic movements can potentially reveal where early attention is directed at the exact moment of stimulus presentation.

Interpersonal attachment, early family environment, and trauma in hoarding: A systematic review

The formation of intense emotional attachments to objects, difficulty parting with possessions, and the extreme accumulation of clutter are key features of Hoarding Disorder (HD). Although substantial literature implicates processes such as dysfunctional beliefs and maladaptive emotional cycles in HD, little is known about the vulnerability factors that lead to their development and hoarding symptomatology. The current review sought to systematically collate and integrate findings from studies investigating the relationship between hoarding symptoms and three proposed vulnerability factors: i) interpersonal attachment, ii) early family environment, and iii) traumatic or adverse life events. A comprehensive search of the databases PsycInfo, PubMed, and Scopus identified a total of 39 studies for inclusion. The results presented a complex pattern that supported the presence of relationships between insecure attachment, cold and controlling family experiences, and exposure to adverse life events with increased hoarding severity. However, the specificity of these factors to HD over other clinical groups remains unclear and findings are limited by the heterogenous and small number of studies. We conclude by discussing the clinical implications and limitations of these findings and propose new directions for future research.

Protective factors in preventing delinquency: Caregiver support, caregiver monitoring, and school engagement

Youth who are potential victims of maltreatment are more likely to commit delinquent acts, which may lead to incarceration. Applying a resiliency framework may shift the focus to positive adaptation. For instance, protective mechanisms promote social, academic, and conduct competencies for at-risk youth. This analysis estimated the protective effects of caregiver perceived support, and caregiver monitoring, and school engagement. It used delinquency as a measure of conduct competence. A latent variable structural equation model was developed using a sample of 1054 youth aged 11-17 who were involved with Child Protective Services. Participants were drawn from the second National Survey for Child and Adolescent Well-Being. Results indicated that perceived support and school engagement reduced minor offenses, and the latter additionally reduced crimes against persons and property. Perceived caregiver monitoring, in contrast, increased minor offenses and crimes against persons. Generally, delinquent acts were associated with lower levels of the protective mechanisms, which, in turn, led to future delinquent acts. Results highlight the important role schools play as a resource for at-risk youth. Additionally, caregiver monitoring may better serve as a protective mechanism when youth voluntarily offer information. Strengths and limitations are discussed.