title: Separation anxiety, attachment and inter-personal representations: disentangling the role of oxytocin in the perinatal period.
abstract: In this paper, we aimed to assess cross-sectionally and longitudinally associations between disturbances in maternal early attachment experiences, symptoms of separation anxiety and depression and oxytocin plasma levels. We examined a mediational model that tested the hypothesis that anxious attachment style arising from the mothers' early bonding experiences with her own parents was associated with high levels of separation anxiety which, via its impact on depression, was associated with reduced levels of oxytocin in the postnatal period. Data is reported on a structured sample of 127 women recruited during pregnancy from a general hospital antenatal clinic and an initial follow up cohort of 57 women who were re-assessed at 3-months post-partum. We found an association between lower oxytocin level in the post partum period and symptoms of separation anxiety and depression during pregnancy, as well as maternal negative interpersonal representations, upbringing attributes and anxious attachment style. Further meditational analysis revealed that the unique association between anxious attachment and depression is mediated by separation anxiety and that depressed mood mediated the relationship between separation anxiety and oxytocin. In conjunction with evidence from the literature suggesting that lower oxytocin level is associated with bonding difficulties, our findings have significant implications for understanding the biological processes underpinning adverse attachment experiences, negative affect state, and mother-to-infant bonding difficulties.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Academic Unit of Child Psychiatry, South West Sydney Local Health District, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Valsamma
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Eapen
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dadds
authors.affiliation: School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Karitane, Villawood, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Bryanne
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Barnett
authors.affiliation: Karitane, Villawood, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kohlhoff
authors.affiliation: School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Academic Unit of Child Psychiatry, South West Sydney Local Health District, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Feroza
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Academic Unit of Child Psychiatry, South West Sydney Local Health District, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Radom
authors.affiliation: School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Centre for Population Mental Health Research, Psychiatry Research and Teaching Unit, South West Sydney Local Health District, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Derrick M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Silove
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001010:Anxiety, Separation / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009034:Mother-Child Relations / Q000523:psychology*; D009769:Object Attachment; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000097:blood*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D011247:Pregnancy; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010121:Oxytocin