title: Dismissive attachment and posttraumatic stress disorder among securely and insecurely attached Belgian security workers.
abstract: This study examined Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in relation to secure and insecure attachment styles based on data collected in a sample of 81 Belgian security workers. All had experienced one traumatic event in the previous year. The sample was divided into a securely attached and an insecurely attached group. The three PTSD symptom scales, Re-experiencing, Avoidance, and Hyperarousal, differentiated significantly between the two attachment groups; the dismissive attachment style was negatively related to PTSD. Individuals with a positive view of themselves and a negative view of others have less risk of developing PTSD than those with a fearful or preoccupied attachment style. A relationship between the dismissive attachment style with grandiose narcissism seems possible. Interest has been expressed in medical approaches; therefore, the importance of medical research on PTSD is emphasized.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Law, Intervoict, Tilburg University, The Netherlands. s.bogaerts@uvt.nl
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bogaerts
authors.forename: Maarten J J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kunst
authors.forename: Frans W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Winkel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009769:Object Attachment; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D016495:Police; D019962:Reactive Attachment Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D012637:Security Measures; D012649:Self Concept; D012938:Social Perception; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology