Attachment and the risk of mental health disorders during adolescence

Abstract

<b> Background</b><br /> Attachment is one of the more important developmental aspects for predicting a person’s level of adaptation and mental health. Previous research in this area suggests a relationship between insecure attachment and behavioural disorders, deviations as well as depression and other affective disorders. The goal of this study was to determine the relationships between adolescents’ attachment patterns and aggression as well as internalisation and externalisation of problems – expressed as a tendency to assume the role of the victim or the perpetrator. We hypothesised that insecure patterns of attachment foster both aggression (as a personality feature) and a tendency towards mental health issues, through increasing the frequency of entering the role of a victim or a perpetrator. participants and procedure<br /> One hundred and twenty individuals aged 14-19 took part in the study, mainly high school and university students. The study was conducted in groups, with the consent of participants and their parents. The following methods were used to assess the variables: The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA), the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ) and the Mini Direct and Indirect Aggression Inventory (Mini-DIA).<br /> <br /> <b>Results</b><br /> Our results suggest that a relationship exists between aggressiveness and trust in the relationship with one’s mother, as well as between hostility and alienation with regards to one’s mother and father. Insecure attachment is a significant risk factor for mental health disorders, and it fosters both externalisation and internalisation behaviours.<br /> <br /> <b>Conclusions</b><br /> We interpret the results as suggesting that attachment organisation plays an important role in a wide array of aspects of adolescent psychosocial development.

Trust Beliefs in Significant Others, Interpersonal Stress, and Internalizing Psychopathology of Adolescents with Psychiatric Disorders

“…The current findings are consistent with a number of lines of research. The findings complement studies showing that TBSO by adolescents from the community is associated with higher levels of mentalization, higher levels of communication with parents, lower levels of aggression, higher levels of psychological well-being, lower levels of internalized maladjustment and lower levels of alienation [33][34][35][36]. The current findings are compatible with research showing that trust beliefs in others buffers the effects of social stress on the mental health and health for adolescents from the community [3,4].…”

Attachment to parents and friends and body dissatisfaction in adolescents with eating disorders

“…The study of attachment, an original construct of Bowlby’s (1969) theory, is a valuable theoretical framework to understand the influence of parents and friends on adolescent development and mental health problems such as eating disorders (ED). Recent studies have shown that a failure in the primary bond with the primary attachment figure constitutes both an etiopathogenic and a mental health risk factor for adolescents (Grzegorzewska & Farnicka, 2016). Studies on ED, considering the attachment theory, report that the insecure attachment is the most common parental style among adolescents with ED (Gander et al, 2015).…”

Exploring mentalization, trust, communication quality, and alienation in adolescents

“…The period of adolescence is characterized by increased psychosocial opportunities and risks, including heightened vulnerability for the onset of serious mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression [1], psychotic disorders [2], and eating disorders [3]. Researchers have sought to identify factors which might support young people during this period of development, with parent-teen attachment security consistently shown to underpin adolescent wellbeing [4,5].…”