Impact of Adult Attachment Styles on Pain and Disability Associated With Arthritis in a Nationally Representative Sample

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate Mikail et al.'s hypothesis that adult attachment styles are associated with important pain-related variables such as pain and disability levels. DESIGN: A cross-sectional design was used to examine the relation between measures of adult attachment styles and both pain and disability. SETTING: The data used were obtained from the National Comorbidity Survey, a large and nationally representative sample of community-dwelling individuals aged 15 to 54 years. In the present study, individuals (n = 381) in the National Comorbidity Survey with arthritis or related conditions were included. OUTCOME MEASURES: Ratings regarding three adult attachment styles (secure, anxious, and avoidant) were obtained by administering Hazan and Shaver's attachment self-report in an interview format. Pain and disability were assessed in a similar manner using four-point rating scales. RESULTS: Ratings of insecure attachment were positively and significantly correlated with both pain and disability. A multiple regression analysis revealed that pain severity and the rating of anxious attachment could account for 20.3% of the variance in disability. CONCLUSIONS: The attachment theory holds promise for understanding reactions to pain conditions, and Mikail et al.'s model warrants further investigation.

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