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Vanwalleghem S, Miljkovitch R, Sirparanta A, Toléon C, Leclercq S, Deborde AS. Maternal Attachment Networks and Mother-Infant Bonding Disturbances among Mothers with Postpartum Major Depression. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6155. [PMID: 37372742 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20126155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
The literature suggests that maternal insecure attachment is a risk factor for postpartum depression which, in turn, affects motherinfant bonding. However, recent research in attachment suggests that the investigation of attachment networks provides further insight in the understanding of psychological outcomes. This study aims to test a model according to which mothers' attachment towards each of their parents contributes to explain attachment towards their romantic partners, which itself is associated with maternal postpartum depression and, in turn, with motherinfant bonding. The Attachment Multiple Model Interview, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire were administered to 90 mothers of infants under 6 months of age (32 with postpartum major depression). Results showed that attachment towards the partner (1) is best explained by attachment to the father and (2) mediates the link between attachment to the father and depression severity. Also, depression severity mediates the link between attachment to the partner and motherinfant bonding. These results highlight the role of attachment models towards the romantic partner and the father in the perinatal period and the relevance of attachment-focused therapeutic programs in treating postpartum maternal depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphanie Vanwalleghem
- Unité de Recherche CLIPSYD, Paris Nanterre University, 200 Avenue de la République, 92000 Nanterre, France
| | - Raphaële Miljkovitch
- Laboratoire Paragraphe, Paris 8 University, 2 Rue de la Liberté, 93200 Saint-Denis, France
| | - Aino Sirparanta
- Laboratoire Paragraphe, Paris 8 University, 2 Rue de la Liberté, 93200 Saint-Denis, France
| | - Camille Toléon
- Laboratoire Paragraphe, Paris 8 University, 2 Rue de la Liberté, 93200 Saint-Denis, France
| | - Stéphanie Leclercq
- Centre Hospitalier la Chartreuse, Unité Père-Mère-Bébé, 1 Boulevard Chanoine Kir, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Anne-Sophie Deborde
- Laboratoire Paragraphe, Paris 8 University, 2 Rue de la Liberté, 93200 Saint-Denis, France
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Egozi S, Talia A, Wiseman H, Tishby O. The experience of closeness and distance in the therapeutic relationship of patients with different attachment classifications: an exploration of prototypical cases. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1029783. [PMID: 37398585 PMCID: PMC10311418 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1029783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Individuals with different attachment classifications (Secure, Avoidant and Preoccupied) may experience emotional closeness differently, in their intimate relationships but also as clients in psychotherapy. However, evidence for this assumption almost exclusively comes from research with self-report questionnaires. Aims In this paper, we use observer-rated measures to explore in depth how patients with different attachment classifications experience closeness and distance from the therapist in different phases of therapy. Method Three patients' and their therapists' narratives about the therapeutic relationship at three time points during therapy were extracted and analyzed with two transcript-based observational measures: The Patient Attachment Coding System (PACS), which classifies patients' attachment according to their discourse behavior, and the therapeutic-Distance Scale-Observer version (TDS-O), which assesses the therapeutic relationship in terms of closeness, distance, autonomy and engagement. Cases were chosen from a larger research project due to their different prototypical attachment classification on the PACS. The narratives were obtained from Relationship Anecdote Paradigm (RAP) interviews in which the patients and their therapists narrated separately about meaningful interactions with each other, at early, middle and late phases of therapy. In addition, we followed patients self-report of the alliance and symptoms (OQ-45). Results Although all patients reported experiencing discomfort with feeling distant from the therapist the therapeutic distance, the secure patient was able to reflect on his feelings and, in the therapist's recollection, was able to share them with the therapist. This allowed the therapist to harness these feelings for the benefit of the therapy. The avoidant and the preoccupied patients both experienced the therapist as distant, but the avoidant patient prevented closeness by a minimal expression of feelings, and the preoccupied described strong frustration with the therapist in a one-sided manner that prevented collaborative processing and left the therapist confused. Discussion It appears that patient discourse is a stable (trait-like) component of attachment, while the therapeutic-distance is a process (state-like) component that may change along therapy. The discourse of insecure patients may hinder therapists' ability to adjust the therapeutic-distance to patients' needs. Therapists' knowledge about the ways patients with different attachment classifications communicate their proximity wishes may improve their attunement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon Egozi
- Research Center for Innovation in Social Work (RCISW), Tel-Hai College, Tel Hai, Israel
| | - Alessandro Talia
- Primary Care Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Hadas Wiseman
- Department of Counseling and Human Development, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Orya Tishby
- Department of Psychology, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
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Exploring the Relationship Between Compassion and Attachment in Individuals with Mental Health Difficulties: A Systematic Review. JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY PSYCHOTHERAPY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10879-022-09573-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe objective of the review was to explore the relevance of the relationship of compassion and attachment to mental health. APAPsycInfo, APAPsycArticles, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Social Science Database, Sociology Database, PTSDpubs, Pubmed, and Web of Science were searched from their inception until November 9, 2021. Peer-reviewed empirical studies exploring the compassion–attachment relationship in individuals with mental health difficulties through outcome measures were included. Studies were excluded if non-empirical, with non-clinical/subclinical samples, in a language other than English and if they did not consider the compassion–attachment relationship. Risk of bias was assessed through The Newcastle–Ottawa Scale and the Downs and Black Checklist. Seven eligible studies comprising 4839 participants were identified, with low to moderate risk of overall bias. Findings indicated a more straightforward relationship between self-compassion and secure attachment and confirmed the relevance of compassion and attachment to psychological functioning. Limitations concerned study design, the use of self-report measures, and low generalisability. While suggesting mechanisms underpinning compassion and attachment, the review corroborates the role of secure attachment and self-compassion as therapeutic targets against mental health difficulties. This study is registered on PROSPERO number CRD42021296279.
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Feniger-Schaal R, Koren-Karie N. Moving together with you: Bodily expression of attachment. ARTS IN PSYCHOTHERAPY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aip.2022.101950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Danner Touati C, Miljkovitch R, Sirparanta A, Deborde AS. The role of attachment to the foster parent with regard to suicidal risk among adult survivors of childhood maltreatment. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2022; 128:104886. [PMID: 33487464 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Revised: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Childhood maltreatment is associated with an increased risk of insecure/disorganized attachment and in turn with suicidal risk (SR). Out-of-family placement is aimed at interrupting child exposure to further abuse and at providing the necessary security for proper development via the establishment of an alternative attachment relationship. However, the actual protective role of this type of care is not clear given the high rates of SR among institutionalized or foster children. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to examine whether 1) attachment to the biological parents mediates the association between abuse and SR and 2) attachment to a foster parent (whether from a foster home or an institution) moderates the effect of attachment to biological parents on SR. PARTICIPANTS The sample consisted of 77 adults (52 female; 25 male; mean age: 26.6 years) who received out-of-home care during childhood. METHOD The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (for SR) were used. The Attachment Multiple Model Interview was also administered to assess attachment to each biological parent and to the foster parent. RESULTS Results show that attachment (security and disorganization) to the biological mother mediates the link between abuse and SR and that attachment to the foster parent moderates the link between attachment to the biological mother and SR. CONCLUSIONS Findings point to the importance of interventions aimed at supporting the establishment of a secure attachment relationship between children in care and their foster parents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Danner Touati
- Laboratoire Paragraphe EA 349, Paris 8 University, 2 Rue de la Liberté, 93200, Saint-Denis, France.
| | - Raphaële Miljkovitch
- Laboratoire Paragraphe EA 349, Paris 8 University, 2 Rue de la Liberté, 93200, Saint-Denis, France.
| | - Aino Sirparanta
- Laboratoire Paragraphe EA 349, Paris 8 University, 2 Rue de la Liberté, 93200, Saint-Denis, France.
| | - Anne-Sohpie Deborde
- Laboratoire Paragraphe EA 349, Paris 8 University, 2 Rue de la Liberté, 93200, Saint-Denis, France.
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Miljkovitch R, Danner-Touati C, Gery I, Bernier A, Sirparanta A, Deborde AS. The role of multiple attachments in intergenerational transmission of child sexual abuse among male victims. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2022; 128:104864. [PMID: 33358280 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND According to Finkelhor (1984), difficulties child sexual abusers have in establishing adaptive adult relationships are a consequence of attachment problems with parents. Research shows that insecure attachment is associated with both the experience of child sexual abuse (CSA) as a victim and perpetration of CSA as an adult. Attachment may thus be a key factor in intergenerational transmission (IT) of CSA. OBJECTIVE The study aims to examine the direct, interactive, and mediated effects linking attachment in different relationships (mother, father, romantic partner) to IT of CSA among male victims. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING Thirty-two abusing and 27 non-abusing male CSA survivors were recruited, respectively, in a prison and via networks of former foster children or CSA victims. METHOD All participants completed the Attachment Multiple Model Interview to assess attachment along four dimensions (security, deactivation, hyperactivation, and disorganization) in the relationship with mother, father, and partner. RESULTS Partial least square modeling suggests that the partner carries forward (mediates) the increased risk of committing sexual abuse associated with insecure/disorganized attachment with the father. A significant partner-mother interaction also suggests that the deleterious effects of attachment to the mother in terms of committing CSA are countered by more secure/organized attachment to the partner. CONCLUSIONS Findings highlight the pivotal role of the romantic partner in IT of CSA. Beyond early intervention, therapy in adulthood aimed at fostering adaptive ways of finding emotional security in the relationship with an adult could thus be encouraged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphaële Miljkovitch
- Laboratoire Paragraphe EA 349, Paris 8 University, 2 Rue de la Liberté, 93200, Saint-Denis, France.
| | - Camille Danner-Touati
- Laboratoire Paragraphe EA 349, Paris 8 University, 2 Rue de la Liberté, 93200, Saint-Denis, France.
| | - Isabelle Gery
- Penitentiary Center Poitiers-Divonne, Champ des Grolles - RD742, CS 80029, 86370, Vivonne, France.
| | - Annie Bernier
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, C.P. 6128, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, Qc H3C 3J7, Canada.
| | - Aino Sirparanta
- Laboratoire Paragraphe EA 349, Paris 8 University, 2 Rue de la Liberté, 93200, Saint-Denis, France.
| | - Anne-Sophie Deborde
- Laboratoire Paragraphe EA 349, Paris 8 University, 2 Rue de la Liberté, 93200, Saint-Denis, France.
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Miljkovitch R, Ensink K. Introduction to CAN special issue: Attachment & mentalization. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2022; 128:105559. [PMID: 35193772 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2022.105559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Karin Ensink
- Université Paris 8, 2 Rue de la Liberté, Saint-Denis 93526, France.
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Riquin E, Sandnes R, Bacro F, Vinay A, Miljkovitch R, Rouger V, Rakotonjanahary J, Gascoin G, Müller JB. A Prospective Observational Study to Assess Attachment Representations With Regard to Neurocognitive and Behavioral Outcomes in Children Born Very Prematurely in the Loire Infant Follow-Up Team (LIFT Cohort). Front Pediatr 2022; 10:896103. [PMID: 35903159 PMCID: PMC9315259 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.896103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
CONTEXT AND PURPOSE Prematurity is a situation that can disrupt parent-child interactions. We hypothesize that establishing relationships with parents in a context of extreme prematurity can alter the development of secure attachment representations in the child. Furthermore, we hypothesize that secure maternal representations and their possible interactions with prematurity factors prevent the development of insecure or disorganized attachment in the child. In addition, maternal representations and their possible interactions with factors related to prematurity may prevent or accentuate the development of an insecure or disorganized attachment in the child. METHODS AND ANALYSIS This is a longitudinal, prospective, exploratory, and bi-centric study. Children born in the neonatal intensive care units of Angers or Nantes University Hospitals with a gestational age of up to 28 weeks will be included in the study. The main objective is to describe the attachment representations at 3 and 5 years through the Attachment Story Completion Task scales and to analyze them in regard to the children's neurocognitive and behavioral outcomes as well as maternal attachment and mental health. ETHICS The study file received a favorable opinion for the implementation of this research on February 18, 2020 - ID-RCB no. 2019-A03352-55 (File 2-20-007 id6699) 2°HPS. This study has received authorization from the French Data Protection Authority (CNIL) under no. 920229. DISCUSSION A better understanding of attachment representations in extreme prematurity and their possible associations with children's neurocognitive and behavioral outcomes as well as maternal attachment and mental health could pave the way for individualized care at an early stage, or even interventions during the neonatal period to improve the outcome of these vulnerable newborns. TRIAL REGISTRATION [ClinicalTrials.gov], identifier [NCT04304846].
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Riquin
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital of Angers, Angers, France.,CHU Angers, University of Angers, Angers, France.,Fondation de Santé des Étudiants de France, Clinique de Sablé sur Sarthe, Sablé sur Sarthe, France
| | - Ramona Sandnes
- Faculty of Psychology, Centre de Recherche en Education de Nantes (CREN - EA 2661), University of Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - Fabien Bacro
- Faculty of Psychology, Centre de Recherche en Education de Nantes (CREN - EA 2661), University of Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - Aubeline Vinay
- Départements d'Enseignement LLSH - DEP ENS LLSH Psychologie, UFR Lettres Langues et Sciences Humaines - LLSH, Angers, France
| | | | - Valérie Rouger
- Loire Infant Follow-Up Team (LIFT) Network, Pays de Loire, France
| | | | - Géraldine Gascoin
- Loire Infant Follow-Up Team (LIFT) Network, Pays de Loire, France.,Department of Neonatal Medicine, Toulouse University Hospital, Toulouse, France
| | - Jean-Baptiste Müller
- Loire Infant Follow-Up Team (LIFT) Network, Pays de Loire, France.,Department of Neonatal Medicine, Nantes University Hospital, Nantes, France.,National Institute of Health and Medical Research CIC004, Nantes University Hospital, Nantes, France
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Vanwalleghem S, Sirparanta A, Leclercq S, Deborde AS, Miljkovitch R. Multiple models of attachment: A new way of understanding perinatal depression. Encephale 2021; 48:593-594. [PMID: 34809959 DOI: 10.1016/j.encep.2021.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S Vanwalleghem
- UFR SPSE, bureau C108A, Unité de Recherche CLIPSYD, Université Paris Nanterre, 200, avenue de la République, 92001 Nanterre Cedex, France.
| | - A Sirparanta
- Laboratoire Paragraphe EA 349, Paris 8 University, 2, rue de la Liberté, 93200, Saint-Denis, France
| | - S Leclercq
- Centre Hospitalier La Chartreuse, Unité Père-Mère-Bébé, 1, boulevard Chanoine Kir, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - A-S Deborde
- Laboratoire Paragraphe EA 349, Paris 8 University, 2, rue de la Liberté, 93200, Saint-Denis, France
| | - R Miljkovitch
- Laboratoire Paragraphe EA 349, Paris 8 University, 2, rue de la Liberté, 93200, Saint-Denis, France
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Gurreri S, Thériault J, Boucher S. L’indépendance émotionnelle à la mère et au père en lien avec la détresse psychologique chez les jeunes femmes. PSYCHOLOGIE FRANCAISE 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.psfr.2018.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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Deborde AS, Danner Touati C, Chatelier M, Guérini C. Représentations des pratiques éducatives parentales et estime de soi chez des enfants placés en fratrie versus séparément. PSYCHOLOGIE FRANCAISE 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.psfr.2017.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Miljkovitch R, Deborde AS, Bernier A, Corcos M, Speranza M, Pham-Scottez A. Borderline Personality Disorder in Adolescence as a Generalization of Disorganized Attachment. Front Psychol 2018; 9:1962. [PMID: 30459673 PMCID: PMC6232672 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Several researchers point to disorganized attachment as a core feature of borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, recent studies suggest that specific internal working models (IWMs) of each parent combine to account for child outcomes and that a secure relationship with one parent can protect against the deleterious effects of an insecure relationship with the other parent. It was thus hypothesized that adolescents with BPD are more likely to be disorganized with both their parents, whereas non-clinical controls are more secure with at least one of their caregivers. Thirty-six adolescents with BPD and 30 control participants (aged 13-19) were included. Psychiatrist diagnosis was verified with the Structured Interview for DSM-IV Personality Disorders (SIDP-IV) and comorbidity was assessed using the Kiddie-SADS. Reported trauma was assessed with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Attachment IWMs of each parent were assessed with the Attachment Multiple Model Interview (AMMI), which enables separate coding for each attachment figure and in which disorganization is conceptualized as conflicting attachment strategies within a specific relationship. Results of a logistic regression analysis suggested that beyond insecure attachment, being disorganized not just with one but with both parents is particularly characteristic of adolescents with BPD. Conversely, belonging to the non-clinical group was predicted by higher security scores with the father and lower deactivation with the mother. Although higher levels of childhood abuse or neglect were reported by adolescents with BPD, the retained attachment dimensions predicted group membership over and above reported trauma. These findings have important implications for clinical intervention and highlight the protective role fathers may have.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Annie Bernier
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Maurice Corcos
- Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Institut Mutualiste Montsouris, Inserm U 669, Faculty of Medecine, University René Descartes-Paris V, Paris, France
| | - Mario Speranza
- Inserm U 669, Faculty of Medecine, University René Descartes-Paris V, Paris, France
- Child Psychiatry Department, Versailles Hospital, Versailles, France
- Unité de Recherche EA4047, Recherches Cliniques et en Santé Publique sur les Handicaps Psychique, Cognitif et Moteur (HANDIReSP), Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Versailles, France
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Feniger-Schaal R, Hart Y, Lotan N, Koren-Karie N, Noy L. The Body Speaks: Using the Mirror Game to Link Attachment and Non-verbal Behavior. Front Psychol 2018; 9:1560. [PMID: 30190699 PMCID: PMC6115809 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Mirror Game (MG) is a common exercise in dance/movement therapy and drama therapy. It is used to promote participants' ability to enter and remain in a state of togetherness. In spite of the wide use of the MG by practitioners, it is only recently that scientists begun to use the MG in research, examining its correlates, validity, and reliability. This study joins this effort by reporting on the identification of scale items to describe the non-verbal behavior expressed during the MG and its correlation to measures of attachment. Thus, we explored the application of the MG as a tool for assessing the embodiment of attachment in adulthood. Forty-eight participants (22 females, mean age = 33.2) played the MG with the same gender-matched expert players. All MG were videotaped. In addition, participants were evaluated on two central measurements of attachment in adulthood: The Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) and the Experience in Close Relationship questionnaire (ECR). To analyze the data, we developed the "MG scale" that coded the non-verbal behavior during the movement interaction, using 19 parameters. The sub-scales were reduced using factor analysis into two dimensions referred to as "together" and "free." The free factor was significantly correlated to both measurements of attachment: Participants classified as having secure attachment on the AAI, received higher scores on the MG free factor than participants classified as insecure [t(46) = 7.858, p = 0.000]. Participants, who were high on the avoidance dimension on the ECR, were low on the MG free factor [r(48) = -0.285, p = 0.007]. This is the first study to examine the MG as it is used by practitioners and its correlation to highly standardized measures. This exploratory study may be considered as part of the first steps of exploring the MG as a standardized assessment tool. The advantages of the MG as a simple, non-verbal movement interaction demonstrate some of the strengths of dance/movement and drama therapy practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rinat Feniger-Schaal
- The Center for the Study of Child Development, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- The Graduate School of Creative Arts Therapies, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Yuval Hart
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Nava Lotan
- The Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Nina Koren-Karie
- The Center for the Study of Child Development, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- School of Social Work, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Lior Noy
- Arison School of Business, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC), Herzliya, Israel
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Cadman T, Diamond PR, Fearon P. Reassessing the validity of the attachment Q-sort: An updated meta-analysis. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/icd.2034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter R. Diamond
- Neuroepidemiology and Ageing Research Unit, School of Public Health; Imperial College London; London UK
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Parra F, Miljkovitch R, Persiaux G, Morales M, Scherer S. The Multimodal Assessment of Adult Attachment Security: Developing the Biometric Attachment Test. J Med Internet Res 2017; 19:e100. [PMID: 28385683 PMCID: PMC5399225 DOI: 10.2196/jmir.6898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2016] [Revised: 01/27/2017] [Accepted: 03/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Attachment theory has been proven essential for mental health, including psychopathology, development, and interpersonal relationships. Validated psychometric instruments to measure attachment abound but suffer from shortcomings common to traditional psychometrics. Recent developments in multimodal fusion and machine learning pave the way for new automated and objective psychometric instruments for adult attachment that combine psychophysiological, linguistic, and behavioral analyses in the assessment of the construct. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to present a new exposure-based, automatic, and objective adult-attachment assessment, the Biometric Attachment Test (BAT), which exposes participants to a short standardized set of visual and music stimuli, whereas their immediate reactions and verbal responses, captured by several computer sense modalities, are automatically analyzed for scoring and classification. We also aimed to empirically validate two of its assumptions: its capacity to measure attachment security and the viability of using themes as placeholders for rotating stimuli. METHODS A total of 59 French participants from the general population were assessed using the Adult Attachment Questionnaire (AAQ), the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP), and the Attachment Multiple Model Interview (AMMI) as ground truth for attachment security. They were then exposed to three different BAT stimuli sets, whereas their faces, voices, heart rate (HR), and electrodermal activity (EDA) were recorded. Psychophysiological features, such as skin-conductance response (SCR) and Bayevsky stress index; behavioral features, such as gaze and facial expressions; as well as linguistic and paralinguistic features, were automatically extracted. An exploratory analysis was conducted using correlation matrices to uncover the features that are most associated with attachment security. A confirmatory analysis was conducted by creating a single composite effects index and by testing it for correlations with attachment security. The stability of the theory-consistent features across three different stimuli sets was explored using repeated measures analysis of variances (ANOVAs). RESULTS In total, 46 theory-consistent correlations were found during the exploration (out of 65 total significant correlations). For example, attachment security as measured by the AAP was correlated with positive facial expressions (r=.36, P=.01). AMMI's security with the father was inversely correlated with the low frequency (LF) of HRV (r=-.87, P=.03). Attachment security to partners as measured by the AAQ was inversely correlated with anger facial expression (r=-.43, P=.001). The confirmatory analysis showed that the composite effects index was significantly correlated to security in the AAP (r=.26, P=.05) and the AAQ (r=.30, P=.04) but not in the AMMI. Repeated measures ANOVAs conducted individually on each of the theory-consistent features revealed that only 7 of the 46 (15%) features had significantly different values among responses to three different stimuli sets. CONCLUSIONS We were able to validate two of the instrument's core assumptions: its capacity to measure attachment security and the viability of using themes as placeholders for rotating stimuli. Future validation of other of its dimensions, as well as the ongoing development of its scoring and classification algorithms is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Parra
- Institute for Creative Technologies, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States.,Paragraphe Laboratory, Paris VIII University, Saint-Denis, France
| | | | | | - Michelle Morales
- Institute for Creative Technologies, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States.,The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, United States
| | - Stefan Scherer
- Institute for Creative Technologies, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Di Folco S, Messina S, Zavattini GC, Psouni E. Attachment to Mother and Father at Transition to Middle Childhood. JOURNAL OF CHILD AND FAMILY STUDIES 2016; 26:721-733. [PMID: 28239249 PMCID: PMC5306151 DOI: 10.1007/s10826-016-0602-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The present study investigated concordance between representations of attachment to mother and attachment to father, and convergence between two narrative-based methods addressing these representations in middle childhood: the Manchester Child Attachment Story Task (MCAST) and the Secure Base Script Test (SBST). One hundred and twenty 6-year-old children were assessed by separate administrations of the MCAST for mother and father, respectively, and results showed concordance of representations of attachment to mother and attachment to father at age 6.5 years. 75 children were additionally tested about 12 months later, with the SBST, which assesses scripted knowledge of secure base (and safe haven), not differentiating between mother and father attachment relationships. Concerning attachment to father, dichotomous classifications (MCAST) and a continuous dimension capturing scripted secure base knowledge (MCAST) converged with secure base scriptedness (SBST), yet we could not show the same pattern of convergence concerning attachment to mother. Results suggest some convergence between the two narrative methods of assessment of secure base script but also highlight complications when using the MCAST for measuring attachment to father in middle childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Di Folco
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, University of Rome, Sapienza, Italy
| | - Serena Messina
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX USA
| | | | - Elia Psouni
- Department of Psychology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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