EXPLORING THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ATTACHMENT AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS. THE ROLE OF EMOTION DYSREGULATION AND INTERGENERATIONAL EFFECTS

Abstract

The quality of early attachment relationships has consistently been associated to emotion regulation abilities amongst other developmental domains. Research has shown that individuals who score higher on attachment anxiety and avoidance are more likely to experience greater difficulties in emotion regulation and are thereby more likely to develop psychological symptoms such as anxiety and depression. While often related, few studies have examined these three constructs (attachment, emotion dysregulation and psychological symptoms) concurrently nor explored the temporal sequence in which they relate to each other. This dissertation investigates these associations in two distinct age groups – young adolescents and mother-child dyads – in two separate, but related studies. Cross-lagged analyses in Study 1 demonstrated a bidirectional relationship between emotion dysregulation and psychological symptoms within- individual, where attachment partly accounted for between-individual differences. Extending on these results, Study 2 revealed significant associations between mothers’ own attachment, emotion dysregulation and distress, with internalising and externalising behaviours of their children. Taken together, these results suggest a potential mechanism through which psychological symptoms may be developed, maintained, and passed onto the next generation. Implications of these findings are discussed, including the importance of improving emotion regulation abilities in the prevention and treatment of psychological difficulties.