title: [Unresolved attachment and remembered childhood trauma in patients undergoing psychosomatic inpatient treatment].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Clinical populations are characterised by a high level of childhood trauma and unresolved attachment status ("U"). Unresolved attachment status indicates the inability to integrate attachment-related dangers. Little is known about the interaction of traumatic childhood experiences and an unresolved attachment status.
  
  
  METHODS
  We administered the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP) to 45 newly admitted psychosomatic inpatients. Childhood trauma (CTQ) and distress were assessed by self-report questionnaires, and cognitive-emotional development was evaluated with the Levels of Emotional Awareness Scale (LEAS).We explored whether unresolved (U) and resolved (R) attachment status differentiated the sample with regard to childhood trauma, distress and cognitive-emotional development.
  
  
  RESULTS
  53 % of the sample was characterized by the attachment status U; physical abuse and neglect as well as emotional neglect were correlated with a diminished ability to integrate trauma indicators in the AAP. A resolved attachment status was related to higher LEAS scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The level of cognitive-emotional development may mediate the actual integration of attachment-related dangers and the interaction between actual attachment-related anxiety and past traumatic experiences.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie, Universitätsmedizin Mainz. Claudia.Subic-Wrana@unimedizin-mainz.de
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Subic-Wrana
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beetz
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wiltink
authors.forename: Manfred E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Beutel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D015897:Comorbidity; D056348:Emotional Intelligence; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009769:Object Attachment; D010343:Patient Admission; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011386:Projective Techniques; D011594:Psychometrics; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D019962:Reactive Attachment Disorder / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult