Attachment and emotion regulation strategies in predicting psychopathology in adulthood

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Reference

Pascuzzo K, Moss E, Cyr C. (2015). Attachment and emotion regulation strategies in predicting psychopathology in adulthood. Sage Publications. 1: 1-15.

Abstract

This study tested a 10-year longitudinal model examining the role of adolescent attachment, adult romantic attachment, and emotion regulation strategies on adult symptoms of psychopathology. Fifty individuals completed a measure of attachment security to parents and peers at age 14, measures of romantic attachment and emotion regulation at age 22, and a measure of psychopathology at age 24. Results revealed that attachment insecurity to parents in adolescence was associated with greater symptoms of psychopathology in adulthood, and emotion-focused strategies partially mediated this association. Anxious romantic attachment was also related to psychopathology, an association that was fully mediated by emotion-focused strategies. The long-term mechanism involved in the association between earlier attachment and future adaptation will be discussed.

DOI