title: Do Coping Strategies Mediate the Relationship Between Parental Attachment and Self-Harm in Young People?
abstract: Insecure attachment is associated with self-harm in young people, but little research has explored the pathways through which this relationship develops. We investigated whether attachment impacts on self-harm via its effect on coping strategies and appraisal of problem-solving abilities. A total of 314 students aged 18-20 years completed an online survey with measures of parental attachment, emotion-focused and problem-focused coping strategies, and psychological distress and self-harm. A mediational model was not supported as there were no direct effects between parental attachment and self-harm. However, analysis of specific indirect pathways revealed that perceived parental attachment impacts on self-harm through problem-focused coping. Higher quality of attachment was associated with greater reliance on problem-focused (adaptive) coping, which in turn was associated with a decreased risk of having self-harmed. Furthermore, poorer paternal attachment was associated with lower appraisal of problem-solving skills, which in turn was associated with an increased risk of having self-harmed. Individuals with insecure attachment may be more vulnerable to self-harm because they lack other more constructive coping strategies for relieving stress.
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Glazebrook
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Townsend
authors.forename: Kapil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sayal
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005219:Father-Child Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009769:Object Attachment; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: attachment; coping; self-harm; young people