The relationship between perceived parenting, adult attachment style and alexithymia in alcoholic inpatients

doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2005.08.010

Addictive Behaviors

Volume 31, Issue 7, July 2006, Pages 1265-1270

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2005.08.010 Get rights and content

Abstract

In this paper we examine the understudied relationship between alexithymia on the one hand, and adult attachment and perceived parenting on the other hand, in a clinical sample of alcoholic inpatients (N = 101). We test whether differences between a high and a low scoring group on trait alexithymia can be predicted on the basis of attachment style and perceived parenting. We observed that the avoidant attachment style is a strong predictor. Subsequently we test whether three dimensions of alexithymia – affective, cognitive and social – are meaningfully linked to adult attachment and perceived parenting. We noticed that cognitive alexithymia especially was predicted by the avoidant attachment style and a lack of warmth perceived in the relationship to the father.

Section snippets

Participants

The study was carried out in six psychiatric hospitals, situated in Flanders (Belgium, September 2003 and December 2004). Data were collected from one hundred and one alcoholic inpatients (30 women and 71 men) between 21 and 65 years of age (M = 43.99; SD = 7.76).

Measures

Participants were administered the Flemish version of the EuropASI 8 to 20 days after intake. The self-report questionnaires were completed at least three weeks after intake to avoid the effects of intoxication or detoxification.

The

Results

First, 3 preliminary linear regression analyses have been performed to check whether secondary alexithymic state characteristics due to alcohol (severity and duration of problematic alcohol use) are reflected in the scores on the affective, cognitive and social component subscales of the BVAQ. In each case the influence of the addiction variables proved to be minimal indicating that state alexithymia does not influence the scores on the BVAQ subscales.

With the aim of testing the first research

Discussion

In this study, we examined associations between alexithymia as a stable trait on the one hand, and alcoholic inpatients' adult attachment style and their internal working model of the affection and protection they received from their parents (perceived parenting) on the other hand. Obvious relationships have been found. First we observed that for differentiating between alcoholics with high and low alexithymic traits, the avoidant adult attachment style was a strong predictor. People

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Mothers’ alexithymia in the context of parental Substance Use Disorder: Which implications for parenting behaviors?
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Citation Excerpt :
With respect to alexithymia, as expected, 43% of the mothers in our study presented scores above the TAS-20 cutoff, confirming the high prevalence of this trait in SUD individuals also in the context of motherhood. Several studies indicate alexithymia to be a common trait in adult and young substance abusers (Handelsman et al., 2000; Oyefeso et al., 2008; Parolin et al., 2018; Torrado, Ouakinin, & Bacelar-Nicolau, 2013), suggesting that it could be a potential risk and sustaining factor for SUD (De Rick & Vanheule, 2006; de Timary, Luts, Hers, & Luminet, 2008). Specifically, it has been hypothesized that in the case of alexithymic traits, the assumption of substances could be used to compensate for deficits in emotional self-awareness (Taylor, Bagby, Parker, & Grotstein, 1997).
Maternal substance use disorder (SUD) represents a severe risk for caregiving, affecting diverse domains of parenting behaviors, such as sensitivity, structuring, intrusiveness, and hostility. Various studies highlighted that difficulties in parenting behaviors in the context of SUD are exacerbated by the co-occurrence of psychopathological symptoms. A large body of research points out the presence of high rates of alexithymia in individuals with SUD, and some studies provide evidence of an association between this psychopathological aspect and parenting. Nevertheless, no prior research has explored how alexithymic traits could affect quality of parenting behaviors in mothers with SUD.
To investigate the impact of maternal alexithymia on parenting behaviors in mothers with SUD.
Sixty women in residential treatment for SUD and their children participated in the study. The participants were assessed with respect to alexithymia, quality of parenting behaviors, and depressive symptoms.
Forty-three percent of the mothers reported the presence of alexithymia. These mothers presented with significantly low scores on sensitivity (β = -.25, p < .05) and structuring (β = -.32, p < .05). After controlling for depressive symptomatology, the effect of alexithymia on parenting behaviors remained only for structuring (β=.35, p < .05).
In the context of SUD, maternal alexithymia significantly impacts the quality of parenting behaviors, specifically structuring, indicating that difficulties in becoming aware of one’s own feelings jeopardize the ability to scaffold interactions and set age-appropriate limits in an emotionally attuned way. Clinical implications of the findings are discussed.
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Short communicationThe relationship between perceived parenting, adult attachment style and alexithymia in alcoholic inpatients

Abstract

Section snippets

Participants

Measures

Results

Discussion

Personality and Individual Differences

Personality and Individual Differences

Drug and Alcohol Dependence

Drug addiction and parental rearing style — a controlled-study

International Journal of the Addictions

Affect regulation, mentalization, and the development of the self

Romantic love conceptualized as an attachment process

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Short communication
The relationship between perceived parenting, adult attachment style and alexithymia in alcoholic inpatients