Early life maltreatment but not lifetime depression predicts insecure attachment in women

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Anna Lena Zietlow - , University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg University  (Author)
  • Nora Nonnenmacher - , Heidelberg University  (Author)
  • Corinna Reck - , Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (Author)
  • Mitho Mueller - , Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (Author)
  • Sabine C. Herpertz - , Heidelberg University  (Author)
  • Corinne Neukel - , Heidelberg University  (Author)
  • Anna Fuchs - , Heidelberg University  (Author)
  • Felix Bermpohl - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Author)
  • Daniel Fuehrer - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Author)
  • Dorothea Kluczniok - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Author)
  • Catherine Hindi Attar - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Author)
  • Charlotte Jaite - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Author)
  • Katja Dittrich - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Author)
  • Katja Boedeker - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Author)

Abstract

Early life maltreatment (ELM) poses a risk for the development of insecure attachment and depression over the life span, depending on the type of maltreatment (physical, sexual, emotional, neglect) and its severity. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of ELM and lifetime depression on adult insecure attachment in a female sample (N = 188), consisting of n = 81 women with ELM and n = 107 without ELM. Women with ELM reported significantly higher scores on insecure attachment than women without ELM. A significant interaction effect for ELM × lifetime depression was found: Contradictory to the hypotheses, women with ELM but without lifetime depression scored highest on avoidant attachment, differing significantly from women with ELM and lifetime depression, even though the severity of ELM was higher among women with ELM and lifetime depression and they experienced significantly more severe neglect and sexual abuse, but not physical or emotional abuse. Regression analyses revealed that ELM was the only predictor of avoidant attachment, explaining 15.5% of the variance. Results underline the strong influence of ELM on adult attachment and are of special importance for prevention and intervention programs.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)477-486
Number of pages10
JournalArchives of women's mental health
Volume20
Issue number4
Publication statusPublished - 1 Aug 2017
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

External IDs

PubMed 28612177
ORCID /0000-0002-7278-5711/work/142233571

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

Keywords

  • Adult attachment, Early life maltreatment, Insecure attachment, Lifetime depression

Library keywords