title: Attachment Dimensions and Post-traumatic Symptoms Following Interpersonal Traumas versus Impersonal Traumas in Young Adults in Taiwan.
abstract: Greater risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is seen in individuals exposed to interpersonal traumatic events. Based on an attachment perspective, interpersonal trauma exposure may activate one's attachment insecurity system and disrupt affect, behaviour and interpersonal function, which may in turn create more difficulties to cope with interpersonal traumas and exacerbate PTSD symptomatology. The present study examined whether attachment anxiety relative to attachment avoidance would be a stronger predictor of greater PTSD symptoms following interpersonal traumas versus impersonal traumas in a Taiwanese sample. One hundred and sixty-two trauma-exposed Taiwanese young adults completed the measures of symptoms of depression, anxiety and PTSD, and attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance. In this Taiwanese study, higher attachment anxiety was observed in individuals who were exposed to interpersonal traumas. The interpersonal trauma group reported greater PTSD symptoms than did the impersonal trauma group. Specifically, after controlling for age, occurrence of trauma and distress of trauma, attachment anxiety, but not attachment avoidance, predicted more PTSD total severity and avoidance symptoms in the interpersonal trauma group. The findings may be pertinent to attachment anxiety-related hyperactivating strategies, as well as specific cultural values and a forbearance strategy applied to regulate traumatic distress in a collectivist society. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
authors: Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Yu-Lien
authors: YL
authors: Huang
authors: Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Sue-Huei
authors: SH
authors: Chen
authors: Graduate Institute of Behavioral Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors: Yi-Jen
authors: YJ
authors: Su
authors: Department of Psychology, Fo Guang University, Yilan, Taiwan.
authors: Yi-Wen
authors: YW
authors: Kung
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008016:Life Change Events; D009769:Object Attachment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: PTSD symptoms; attachment anxiety; attachment avoidance; impersonal trauma; interpersonal trauma