Karatzias, Thanos and Shevlin, Mark and Ford, Julian D. and Fyvie, Claire and Grandison, Graeme and Hyland, Philip and Cloitre, Marylene (2022) Childhood trauma, attachment orientation, and complex PTSD (CPTSD) symptoms in a clinical sample: Implications for treatment. Development and Psychopathology, 34 (3). pp. 1192-1197. ISSN 0954-5794

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Abstract

Although there has been significant work on the association between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and attachment orientation, this is less the case for complex PTSD (CPTSD). The primary aim of this paper was to assess the strength of the association between the four adult attachment styles (i.e., secure, dismissing, preoccupied, and fearful) and severity of CPTSD symptoms (i.e., symptoms of PTSD and disturbances in self-organization [DSO]). We hypothesized that attachment orientation would be more strongly associated with DSO symptoms compared to PTSD symptoms. A trauma exposed clinical sample (N = 331) completed self-report measures of traumatic life events, CPTSD symptoms, and attachment orientation. It was found that secure attachment and fearful attachment were significantly associated with DSO symptoms but not with PTSD symptoms. Dismissing attachment style was significantly associated with PTSD and DSO symptoms. Preoccupied attachment was not significantly associated with CPTSD symptoms. Treatment implications for CPTSD using an attachment framework are discussed.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Cite as: Karatzias, T., Shevlin, M., Ford, J. D., Fyvie, C., Grandison, G., Hyland, P., & Cloitre, M. (2022). Childhood trauma, attachment orientation, and complex PTSD (CPTSD) symptoms in a clinical sample: Implications for treatment. Development and Psychopathology, 34(3), 1192-1197. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579420001509
Keywords:	Childhood trauma; attachment orientation; and complex PTSD (CPTSD);
Academic Unit:	Assisting Living & Learning,ALL institute Faculty of Science and Engineering > Psychology
Item ID:	17104
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579420001509
Depositing User:	Philip Hyland
Date Deposited:	13 Apr 2023 10:52
Journal or Publication Title:	Development and Psychopathology
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	Publisher
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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