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Attachment in romantic relationships and somatization
Eva Neumann1, Heribert Sattel, Harald Gündel
1*Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf; †Technische Universität, Munich; ‡Ulm University, Ulm; §Justus-Liebig University, Giessen; and ∥Philipps-University, Marburg, Germany.
The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
|January 17, 2015
Summary
Attachment anxiety and avoidance indirectly impact somatization through depression and general anxiety. Anxious attachment is more strongly linked to poor mental health and somatic complaints in patients with somatoform disorders.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Adult attachment representations are linked to somatizing behavior.
- Understanding attachment's role in somatization is crucial for treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore associations between attachment dimensions (avoidance, anxiety) and psychopathology (somatization, depression, general anxiety).
- To investigate indirect pathways linking attachment to somatization.
Main Methods:
- Path analysis was used to examine relationships.
- Data collected from 202 outpatients with somatoform disorders via self-report measures.
Main Results:
- Attachment dimensions were not directly associated with somatization.
- Significant indirect associations between attachment and somatization were found, mediated by depression and general anxiety.
- Attachment anxiety showed a stronger indirect link to somatization than attachment avoidance.
Conclusions:
- Low attachment security, particularly anxiety, is associated with poor mental health.
- Poor mental health, in turn, relates to preoccupation with somatic complaints.
- Findings suggest implications for treating somatizing patients by addressing attachment styles and comorbid mental health issues.
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