Up until now research studies carried out on abused children have rarely taken in consideration the impact of maltreatment on the locus of control; furthermore results concerning the distribution of attachment internal models in this population are inconclusive. In addition, no study has ever taken in consideration the differential role of attachment and time of exposure to stress in the formation of attributive styles. This research work involved 60 maltreated children and 100 controls with the purpose of evaluating the associations between their attachment and age as for their locus of control. Internal Working Models were assessed by SAT and locus of control by the Nowicki-Strickland Scale. Results highlight mainly external locus of control and disorganized and avoidant IWMs in abused children. Furthermore, age was more predictive than attachment for locus of control. By contrast, in the control group at both age taken in consideration attachment was predictive of locus of control. Results are discussed in terms of problematic symptoms associated to maltreatment.

The Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) was administered to 62 adolescent female patients (mean age 14.3): 35 with restricting-type anorexia nervosa (RAN), and 27 with binge/purging-type anorexia nervosa (B/PAN) according to the DSM-IV criteria, all at onset and initial diagnosis. The PBI was also administered to a control group (55 subjects) and 22 patients with Crohn's disease or celiac disease. The three groups were matched for age and socioeconomic status. The RAN and B/PAN patients gave significantly different interpretations of the parental bond (PB): for the former, it was adequate with both parents, for the latter it was inadequate, especially with the father. The fact that these differences exist at the onset of anorexia prior to any possible effect of therapy suggests that its structure is determined by different family dynamics.

No abstract

È stata confrontata, in un gruppo di pazienti con disturbi alimentari (N = 101, età media =15.3 anni), la trascuratezza emotiva da parte del padre e della madre esperita da coloro che\ud avevano modelli mentali dell’attaccamento (IWM) con alta ansia da separazione versus quella esperita da coloro con IWM a bassa ansia. È stata, inoltre, investigata l’associazione\ud tra IWM ad alta ansia e sintomi psicopatologici. Gli stili parentali sono stati, poi, ricondotti agli IWM ad alta/bassa ansia dei genitori. Ai pazienti e ai loro genitori è stato somministrato\ud il SAT per la misura degli IWM dell’attaccamento, ai pazienti il PBI per la misura del legame con i genitori e l’SCL-90 per lo spettro psicopatologico. I risultati evidenziano nei\ud pazienti con IWM ad alta ansia maggior Costrizione Affettiva e Controllo non Affettivo da parte della madre e legami Deboli-assenti con il padre, e più sintomi psicopatologici. Inoltre,\ud stili distorti di accudimento si associano a IWM ad alta ansia dei genitori stessi

Research on eating disorders (ED) has shown in patients a prevalence of insecure attachment working models (IWMs). Nevertheless, the issue of a prevalence, in patients, of high anxiety IWMs (HAIWMs) has rarely been addressed. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence in ED patients of high anxiety IWMs and their transmission by parents. The Separation Anxiety Test was administered to 55 patients with an ED, a control sample (n = 80), their mothers and fathers. The two groups differed significantly, with a prevalence of HAIWMs in the patients and their parents compared to the controls; in ED no significant difference appeared in mother-patient versus father-patient matching for HAIWMs. The implication is that patients with an ED might benefit more from individual attachment-based therapy and/or a family therapy than from other types of psychotherapeutic approaches.