Modeling the relationship between attachment styles and somatic symptoms with the mediating role of emotional processing

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: In spite of our general knowledge about psychological roots and defects of developmental processes in the formation of somatic symptoms, the effect of the interaction of developmental components with cognitive-emotional variables is unclear. Previous researches suggest that individuals with insecure attachment may have a higher risk to experience of somatic symptoms. The main aim of this study is “Modeling the Relationship between Attachment Styles and Somatic Symptoms with the Mediating Role of Emotional Processing.” MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was a descriptive-correlational study. Two hundred and twenty individuals aged 18–59 years living in Tehran were selected by available sampling from the general population. Collins and Reed's Adult Attachment Scale, Baker's Emotional Processing Scale, and Patient Health Questionnaire were used to collecting data. Data analysis was performed by Pearson correlation and independent t -test. The conceptual model presented in this study was tested with a path analysis approach. RESULTS: Given the Chi-squared size (χ 2 = 1.214; P > 0.05), it can be said that the proposed conceptual model fits well with the observed model. Besides, checking the other absolute and relative indices also shows a very good fit of the model. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that when the reciprocal effects of attachment styles were controlled, secure attachment could be considered as a protective factor against deficits in emotional processing and somatization of negative emotions. On the other hand, we found that when the dominant attachment style in individuals was anxiety based, it could be possible that they experience deficiency in the processing of emotion and more severe somatic symptoms.

Intimate Relationships during COVID-19 across the Genders: An Examination of the Interactions of Digital Dating, Sexual Behavior, and Mental Health

“…Individuals with avoidance issues, anxiety, and attachment insecurity are prone to physiological health risks. Anxious and insecure attachment styles have been linked to higher stress perceptions and reactivity, as well as a positive association between hypochondriacal and somatic symptoms (Dolatshahi et al 2020;Taylor et al 2012). Studies have shown that an anxious attachment style has been linked to health anxiety (Gozan and Menaldi 2020) and a variety of inflammation-driven cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including stroke, heart attack, high blood pressure, and increased chronic illness (Pietromonaco and Beck 2019;Oladi and Dargahi 2018;McMahon et al 2021;Michal and Beutel 2021).…”

Explorando la relación entre las somatizaciones, la ansiedad y la regulación emocional. El efecto mediador de las estrategias desadaptativas

“…Esta diferenciación entre CERS adaptativas y desadaptativas se basa en cómo dichas estrategias ayudan a la persona a regular de manera eficaz y consciente sus emociones tras un evento negativo (Jermann et al, 2006). Estudios como el de Ellard et al (2017) han señalado que el uso de CERS desadaptativas está directamente relacionado con mayores niveles de ansiedad y somatizaciones, y algunas CERS como la rumiación o la preocupación se ha relacionado de forma directa y positiva con los síntomas de ansiedad y somatización (Aldao et al, 2010;Falahatdoost et al, 2020;McEvoy et al, 2013;Schnabel et al, 2022;Tang & Thomas, 2020). Asimismo, el uso disfuncional de estrategias como la metacognición, la conciencia sobre nuestros propios pensamientos, puede llevar a sesgos atencionales dirigidos hacia la amenaza y generar un mayor empleo de las CERS desadaptativas, llevando así a mayores niveles de ansiedad y síntomas somáticos (Wells & Matthews, 2014).…”

Emotional Processing and Its Association to Somatic Symptom Change in Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy for Somatic Symptom Disorder: A Preliminary Mediation Investigation

“…Despite EAET's effectiveness, little is known about the mechanisms by which EAET achieve its effects. In theory, emotional processing is a key mechanism (Lumley and Schubiner, 2019), as deficits in emotional processing have been identified in patients with chronic pain and IBS (Baker et al, 2010;Esteves et al, 2013;Phillips et al, 2013;Gay et al, 2019), and problems in emotional processing have been found to mediate the association between childhood adversity and the development of psychiatric (Chung and Chen, 2017) and somatic symptoms (Mozhgan et al, 2020). Facets of emotional processing, such as emotional differentiation, naming, experiencing, tolerating, and expression, are believed to be a core mechanism in psychodynamic treatments of certain conditions (Messer, 2013;Høglend and Hagtvet, 2019).…”