Cited by 19Personality Disorders and PsychopathologyPsychoanalysis and Psychopathology ResearchChild Abuse and Trauma

The Association Between Childhood Trauma and Attachment Functioning in Patients With Personality Disorders

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Voestermans, Danielle, Eikelenboom, Merijn, Rullmann, Jitske, Wolters-Geerdink, Maryke, Draijer, Nel, Smit, Jan H., Thomaes, Kathleen, van Marle, Hein J. F.·2021·Journal of Personality Disorders

Abstract

Attachment (mal)functioning and a history of childhood trauma (CT) are both considered psychological determinants of personality disorders (PDs). Their interaction, however, remains largely uninvestigated. In this study, the authors assessed adult and childhood attachment style in a sample of patients with diverse PDs (N = 75) and determined the relation with both occurrence and severity of CT. The authors found that the sample was characterized by severe attachment malfunctioning and high levels of CT. Using cross-tabulations and analysis of variance, the authors showed that patients with a fearful or dismissive attachment style experienced more severe CT than patients with a preoccupied attachment style. Patients reporting an affectionless control bonding style to either parent suffered frequent and severe CT. Although temporal causality cannot be determined, these findings stress the necessity to screen for CT in PDs and suggest that attachment-centered psychotherapy for these patients may benefit from preceding or concurrent trauma treatment.

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Crossref · 10.1521/pedi_2020_34_474

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Authors
Voestermans, D., Eikelenboom, M., Rullmann, J., Wolters-Geerdink, M., Draijer, N., Smit, J. H., Thomaes, K., & van Marle, H. J. F.
Affiliations
  • Arkin (NL)
  • Amsterdam Public Health (NL)
  • Arq Psychotrauma Expert Group (NL)
  • Amsterdam University Medical Centers (NL)
  • Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Psychiatry, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Venue
Journal of Personality Disorders
Published
2021-08
Volume
35
Issue
4
Pages
554-572
ISSN
0885-579X (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3011773944
Cited by
19
References
67
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 1
FWCI
0.90
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
other-oa
Locations
  • Journal of Personality Disorders (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Pure Amsterdam UMC (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
Keywords
childhood trauma, personality disorders, attachment styles, fearful attachment, dismissive attachment, preoccupied attachment, affectionless control, parent-child bonding, injury severity, trauma screening
MeSH terms
Adult, Anxiety, Humans, Object Attachment, Personality Disorders

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