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Relationship between insecure attachment and physical symptom severity is mediated by sensory sensitivity

OBJECTIVE: Various models have been used to explain somatization, including attachment theory, which describes how formative experiences influence perceptions of vulnerability and threat. Although attachment insecurity is associated with greater physical symptoms, the mechanisms by which attachment...

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Autores principales: Le, Thao Lan, Geist, Rose, Hunter, Jon, Maunder, Robert G.
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: John Wiley and Sons Inc. 2020
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7428506/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32588993
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/brb3.1717
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author Le, Thao Lan
Geist, Rose
Hunter, Jon
Maunder, Robert G.
author_facet Le, Thao Lan
Geist, Rose
Hunter, Jon
Maunder, Robert G.
author_sort Le, Thao Lan
collection PubMed
description OBJECTIVE: Various models have been used to explain somatization, including attachment theory, which describes how formative experiences influence perceptions of vulnerability and threat. Although attachment insecurity is associated with greater physical symptoms, the mechanisms by which attachment insecurity influences the experience of physical symptoms are not clear. Sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) describes a low threshold to responding to stimuli and high emotional reactivity. It is associated with both attachment insecurity and physical symptoms. The purpose of this study is to test a model in which attachment insecurity, depression, and SPS interact to influence physical symptoms. METHODS: Cross‐sectional data from the online Self‐Assessment Kiosk were used (N = 186). Participants were surveyed regarding attachment insecurity (ECR‐M16), physical symptom severity (PHQ‐15), sensory processing sensitivity (HSPS), and depression (PHQ‐9). A path analysis was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Modal participants were white (74%) single (45%) women (80%) with university education (79%). Attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and sensitivity were correlated with physical symptom severity. The data suggested that sensitivity mediates between attachment anxiety and physical symptoms (β (indirect) = 0.070, p = .003 and β (direct) = −0.030, p> .05) and this relationship remains significant when controlling for depression. CONCLUSIONS: This study extends our understanding of the potential pathways that lead individuals with attachment insecurity to experience burdensome physical symptoms by supporting a mediating role for SPS.
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spelling pubmed-74285062020-08-17 Relationship between insecure attachment and physical symptom severity is mediated by sensory sensitivity Le, Thao Lan Geist, Rose Hunter, Jon Maunder, Robert G. Brain Behav Original Research OBJECTIVE: Various models have been used to explain somatization, including attachment theory, which describes how formative experiences influence perceptions of vulnerability and threat. Although attachment insecurity is associated with greater physical symptoms, the mechanisms by which attachment insecurity influences the experience of physical symptoms are not clear. Sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) describes a low threshold to responding to stimuli and high emotional reactivity. It is associated with both attachment insecurity and physical symptoms. The purpose of this study is to test a model in which attachment insecurity, depression, and SPS interact to influence physical symptoms. METHODS: Cross‐sectional data from the online Self‐Assessment Kiosk were used (N = 186). Participants were surveyed regarding attachment insecurity (ECR‐M16), physical symptom severity (PHQ‐15), sensory processing sensitivity (HSPS), and depression (PHQ‐9). A path analysis was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Modal participants were white (74%) single (45%) women (80%) with university education (79%). Attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and sensitivity were correlated with physical symptom severity. The data suggested that sensitivity mediates between attachment anxiety and physical symptoms (β (indirect) = 0.070, p = .003 and β (direct) = −0.030, p> .05) and this relationship remains significant when controlling for depression. CONCLUSIONS: This study extends our understanding of the potential pathways that lead individuals with attachment insecurity to experience burdensome physical symptoms by supporting a mediating role for SPS. John Wiley and Sons Inc. 2020-06-26 /pmc/articles/PMC7428506/ /pubmed/32588993 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/brb3.1717 Text en © 2020 The Authors. Brain and Behavior published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. This is an open access article under the terms of the http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
spellingShingle Original Research
Le, Thao Lan
Geist, Rose
Hunter, Jon
Maunder, Robert G.
Relationship between insecure attachment and physical symptom severity is mediated by sensory sensitivity
title Relationship between insecure attachment and physical symptom severity is mediated by sensory sensitivity
title_full Relationship between insecure attachment and physical symptom severity is mediated by sensory sensitivity
title_fullStr Relationship between insecure attachment and physical symptom severity is mediated by sensory sensitivity
title_full_unstemmed Relationship between insecure attachment and physical symptom severity is mediated by sensory sensitivity
title_short Relationship between insecure attachment and physical symptom severity is mediated by sensory sensitivity
title_sort relationship between insecure attachment and physical symptom severity is mediated by sensory sensitivity
topic Original Research
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7428506/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32588993
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/brb3.1717
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