Adult attachment insecurities are associated with obsessive compulsive disorder

Doron, Guy; Moulding, Richard; Nedeljkovic, Maja; Kyrios, Michael; Mikulincer, Mario; Sar-El, Dar

doi:10.1111/j.2044-8341.2011.02028.x

Cited by 57 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 76 publications

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“…Attachment insecurities have been suggested to play an important role in the maintenance and development of OCD (Doron & Kyrios, 2005;Doron, Moulding, Kyrios, Nedeljkovic, Mikulincer, & Sar-El, 2012) and relationship-related OC symptoms (Doron et al, in press, 2012). More specifically, attachment insecurities were suggested to exacerbate sensitivity to intrusive thoughts by disrupting functional coping with experiences that challenge highly important self-domains (Doron, Moulding, Kyrios, Nedeljkovic, & Mikulincer, 2009).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Flaws and all: Exploring partner-focused obsessive-compulsive symptoms

Doron

Derby²,

Szepsenwol

et al. 2012

Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Flaws and all: Exploring partner-focused obsessive-compulsive symptoms

Doron

Derby²,

Szepsenwol

et al. 2012

Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders

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“…In another study on a mixed psychiatric sample, the patients with panic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder scored higher on attachment-related anxiety as compared with healthy individuals [31]. Recently, attachment anxiety was found to be significantly higher in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder than in healthy controls, even when controlling for depression [18]. Consistently with theoretical expectations [7] and with these previous studies, we found significantly higher levels of attachment-related anxiety among patients with anxiety disorders as compared with both healthy controls and patients with drug-resistant epilepsy.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…All these studies reported an association between attachment insecurity and anxiety [15-18]. Negative attachment-related experiences such as unfavorable parental attitudes were also found to be associated with disorders such as panic disorder [19, 20] and generalized anxiety disorder [21].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Attachment and Parenting in Adult Patients with Anxiety Disorders

Picardi¹,

Caroppo²,

Fabi³

et al. 2013

CPEMH

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Background:The literature suggests that dysfunctional parenting and insecure attachment may increase risk of anxiety-related psychopathology. This study aimed at testing the association between anxiety disorders, attachment insecurity and dysfunctional parenting while controlling for factors usually not controlled for in previous studies, such as gender, age, and being ill.Methods:A sample of 32 non-psychotic inpatients with SCID-I diagnosis of an anxiety disorder, either alone or in comorbidity, was compared with two age- and sex-matched control groups consisting of 32 non-clinical participants and 32 in-patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. Study measures included the Experience in Close Relationships questionnaire (ECR) and the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI). Results:The patients with anxiety disorders scored significantly higher on attachment-related anxiety and avoidance than patients with drug-resistant epilepsy and non-clinical participants. These findings were independent of comorbidity for mood disorders. ECR scores did not differ among diagnostic subgroups (generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, other anxiety disorders). Patients with anxiety disorders scored significantly lower on PBI mother’s care and borderline significantly lower on PBI father's care than patients with drug-resistant epilepsy.Conclusions:Although limitations such as the relatively small sample size and the cross-sectional nature suggest caution in interpreting these findings, they are consistent with the few previous adult studies performed on this topic and corroborate Bowlby's seminal hypothesis of a link between negative attachment-related experiences, attachment insecurity, and clinical anxiety. Attachment theory provides a useful theoretical framework for integrating research findings from several fields concerning the development of anxiety disorders and for planning therapeutic interventions.

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“…Doron and Kyrios (2005;Doron, Moulding, Kyrios, & Nedeljkovic, 2008) argued that highly valued self-domains where the person lacks confidence may contribute to sensitivity to obsessions. Obsessional thoughts that threaten these "sensitive" self domains are more likely to become the object of appraisal, preoccupation and anxiety Doron, Kyrios, Moulding, Nedeljkovic, et al, 2007;Doron et al, 2008), particularly when coupled with poor emotional regulation such as in the form of dysfunctional attachment systems (Doron, Moulding, Kyrios, Nedeljkovic, & Mikulincer, 2009;Doron, Moulding, et al, 2012;Doron, Sar-El, & Mikulincer, 2012). Experimental studies also show that threat to specific self-domains (e.g., morality or relationships) may result in an increase in thematically-related (e.g., contamination and relationship-centred) obsessive-compulsive behavioural tendencies (i.e., Doron, Sar-El, et al, 2012;Doron, Szepsenwol, Karp, & Gal, 2013).…”

Section: Obsessional Doubtmentioning

confidence: 99%