Correlations of interpersonal sensitivity with negative working models of the self and other: evidence for link with attachment insecurity

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that interpersonal sensitivity, a personality trait associated with depression and anxiety disorders, is linked with attachment insecurity. To confirm this link, we studied the correlations of interpersonal sensitivity with working models of the self and other. METHODS: The subjects were 301 healthy Japanese. Interpersonal sensitivity and working models of the self and other were assessed by the Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure (IPSM) and the Relationship Scales Questionnaire, respectively. The correlations of the IPSM total scores with the self-model or other-model scores were analyzed by the multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The IPSM total scores were correlated negatively with the self-model scores (β = −0.48, p < 0.001) and to a lesser extent with the other-model scores (β = −0.15, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that interpersonal sensitivity is correlated with negative working models of the self and other, providing evidence for its link with attachment insecurity.