Bindungsrepräsentation bei stationär behandelten chronisch-depressiven Patientinnen

Background

Studies on the association between attachment and chronic depression are scarce.

Aim

This study was carried out to investigate attachment representations in chronically depressed female inpatients.

Material and methods

A total of 20 female inpatients with major depression were assessed with the adult attachment interview. Attachment representations were assessed following the method of Main et al. Furthermore, a dimensional evaluation of attachment representations according to Waters was compiled and related to symptom severity.

Results

The analysis of attachment resulted in a distribution of 5?% securely attached patients, 30?% with insecure-avoidant attachment, 15?% insecure-preoccupied attachment and 50?% disorganised attachment representation. For the dimensional approach along the secure-insecure dimension, attachment security was correlated with global assessment of functioning (GAF) and reflective functioning and insecurity was correlated with unresolved loss. For the dimension avoidance-preoccupation a relationship was found between avoidance and GAF.

Conclusion

In comparison to non-clinical samples the results demonstrate a high proportion of insecure and disorganised attachment in this sample of severely depressed female inpatients with high chronicity (mean course of illness 11.7?±?7.6 years) and high symptom load (Beck depression inventory BDI =?36.6?±?8.7 points). This result underlines the importance of psychotherapeutic interventions for depressed patients with unresolved loss experiences.