title: Attachment security and pain--The disrupting effect of captivity and PTSS.
abstract: The present study assesses the possible disruption effect of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) with regard to the protective role of attachment on pain, among ex-POWs. While secure attachment seems to serve as a buffer, decreasing the perception of pain, this function may be disrupted by PTSS. The study sample included 104 subjects who were combat veterans of the 1973 Yom Kippur War comprising of 60 male ex-prisoners of war (ex-POWs) and 44 comparable male combat veterans. Both attachment and pain were investigated experimentally in the laboratory and via questionnaires. We found that ex-POWs showed higher levels of clinical pain and attachment insecurities compared to controls. Moreover, attachment avoidance and soothing effect of attachment (SEA) were both associated with lower levels of clinical pain. Most importantly, PTSS moderated the associations between attachment and pain, as well as the mediation role of attachment between captivity and pain. The results imply that although attachment can be an important resource for coping with pain, it can be severely disrupted by PTSS among trauma survivors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark. Electronic address: tandersen@health.sdu.dk.
authors.forename: Tonny Elmose
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.affiliation: Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Israel, Postdoc, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark.
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lahav
authors.affiliation: School of Health Professions, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Defrin
authors.affiliation: New School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC), Herzliya, Israel.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mikulincer
authors.affiliation: Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Israel, Postdoc, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark.
authors.forename: Zahava
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Solomon
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009769:Object Attachment; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology; D057566:Self Report; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D017741:Survivors; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*; D014857:Warfare
keywords: Attachment; Captivity; POW; Pain; Posttraumatic stress; Trauma