An investigation of adult attachment and the nature of relationships with voices.

OBJECTIVES: The study investigated associations between adult attachment and voice hearing. We hypothesized associations between insecure attachment, severity of voice hearing, and distress in relation to voices. We also hypothesized associations between attachment and the nature of relationships with voices.
METHOD: Seventy-three participants with a diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorders completed measures of anxiety and avoidance in attachment relationships and we coded experiences of voice hearing from interviews.
RESULTS: There were modest but significant positive associations between attachment anxiety and both severity and distress in relation to voice hearing, but no associations between attachment avoidance and these dimensions. We found evidence of predicted associations between attachment avoidance and themes of rejection, criticism, and threat in relationships with voices. Contrary to predictions, there were no significant associations between anxious attachment and the theme of control in relationships with voices and no association between anxious attachment and the theme of threat.
CONCLUSIONS: The study is promising in demonstrating some associations between attachment and the nature of relationships with voices. This suggests that the assessment of attachment styles may be a useful contribution in developing formulations of voice hearing. ©2011 The British Psychological Society.