Exploring the association between attachment and narrative compassion in adult mental health

Singer, Kathleen (2018) Exploring the association between attachment and narrative compassion in adult mental health. D Clin Psy thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

Objectives: A minority of individuals display high anxiety and avoidance in their attachment style. They are hypothesised to have a fearful attachment. Growing evidence posits that attachment style is associated with compassion. This pilot study aimed to determine whether those with high scores in both attachment avoidance and anxiety could be identified, how these individuals might respond to a compassion interview and whether any associations could be observed between this attachment insecurity and compassion.
Design: Cross-sectional pilot study.
Method: Individuals with interpersonal or emotional-regulation difficulties, complex trauma, or depression completed the Psychosis Attachment Measure (PAM) and the Narrative Compassion Interview (NCI). Scores were correlated and examples from NCIs were reported as prototypes for future coding.
Results: 45 individuals were approached, 24 completed the PAM of which 15 showed high attachment anxiety and avoidance. 13 individuals (Mage = 39, SD = 11.73, 10 female) were interviewed. Our primary analyses identified signals indicting that high scores in both attachment insecurity dimensions were negatively correlated with total compassion scores (r = -0.46, 95% CI [-0.82, 0.19]), and some subscales of NCI.
Conclusions: This pilot study identified signals from the data that indicated high insecurity in both attachment dimensions was negatively correlated with compassion. These important signals give some indication of how those with both high attachment anxiety and avoidance may reflect on compassion; therefore further studies are merited. Clinical implications include; implications for different flows of compassion and engagement with therapist, and ability to tolerate therapies that rely on compassionate approaches. A larger sample is required to replicate these results and further explore

• Item Type: Thesis (D Clin Psy)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Keywords: attachment, compassion, adults, fearful, disorganised, disorganized.
• Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
• Colleges/Schools: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Mental Health and Wellbeing
• Supervisor's Name: Gumley, Professor Andrew
• Date of Award: 2018
• Depositing User: Miss Kathleen Singer
• Unique ID: glathesis:2018-30803
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 05 Oct 2018 07:26
• Last Modified: 23 Oct 2018 10:48
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/30803