The centrality of secure attachment within an interacting network of symptoms, cognition, and attachment dimensions in persons with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders: A preliminary study

Research in the field of psychosis broadly suggests that symptoms, neurocognitive deficits, social cognition, cognitive biases, and attachment experiences influence each other. However, little is known if any of these constructions play a more central role than others as they interact.

To clarify this issue, we conducted a "network" analysis to explore the interplay among a set of variables related to attachment, cognition domains, and psychotic symptoms in a small sample of outpatients with stabilised schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (n = 25). Eighteen participants (72%) were first-episode patients. We assessed psychotic symptoms, attachment dimensions, neurocognitive performance, "theory of mind", emotion recognition, and "jumping to conclusions" bias using standardised instruments.

The study provides preliminary evidence about a network structure in which the secure attachment (SA) is the most central "node" within the interacting network considering all centrality measures, followed by general psychopathology. SA was closely connected to self-sufficiency (avoidant attachment) and child traumatism, as well as with neurocognition. Emotion recognition impairment was the most robust connection to positive symptoms and mediated the influence of SA on psychotic symptoms.

Beyond the importance of symptoms, our results, although preliminary, suggest the need to assess attachment experiences and cognition domains to improve specific interventions that can promote recovery in outpatients with psychosis.