Agostino Brugnera1, Cristina Zarbo1,2, Angelo Compare1, Alessandro Talia3, Giorgio A Tasca4, Kim de Jong5, Andrea Greco1, Francesco Greco6, Luca Pievani7, Adalberto Auteri1, Gianluca Lo Coco8. 1. Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy. 2. Unit of Epidemiological and Evaluation Psychiatry, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy. 3. Institute for Psychosocial Prevention, Heidelberg University Hospital, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. 4. School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada. 5. Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands. 6. Private Practice, Bologna, Italy. 7. Scuola di Psicoterapia Integrata, Bergamo, Italy. 8. Department of Psychology, Educational Sciences and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
Abstract
Objective: Subjective well-being is a crucial variable for mental health practitioners. This study examines the influence of therapists' attachment dimensions and self-reported reflective functioning on their perceived well-being. Further, it examines if reflective functioning mediates the association between attachment insecurity and well-being. Method: A total of 416 experienced psychotherapists were enrolled in this cross-sectional study, and completed self-report measures of attachment insecurity, reflective functioning, and well-being. We tested the hypothesized mediation model with path analysis that examined indirect effects. Results: Both attachment anxiety and avoidance dimensions had a significant negative association with perceived well-being with small to medium effects. "Certainty" in reflective functioning had a small positive effect on therapist well-being. Reflective functioning mediated the association between insecure attachment dimensions and well-being, suggesting that therapist's lower ability to mentalize may partially account for the effects of higher attachment insecurity on lower well-being. Conclusion: The well-being of psychotherapists with greater insecure attachment may deserve special attention, and therapists' mentalizing capacities may be targeted by researchers and trainers as a core ability to be cultivated in order to preserve therapists' professional and personal resources.
Objective: Subjective well-being is a crucial variable for mental health practitioners. This study examines the influence of therapists' attachment dimensions and self-reported reflective functioning on their perceived well-being. Further, it examines if reflective functioning mediates the association between attachment insecurity and well-being. Method: A total of 416 experienced psychotherapists were enrolled in this cross-sectional study, and completed self-report measures of attachment insecurity, reflective functioning, and well-being. We tested the hypothesized mediation model with path analysis that examined indirect effects. Results: Both attachment anxiety and avoidance dimensions had a significant negative association with perceived well-being with small to medium effects. "Certainty" in reflective functioning had a small positive effect on therapist well-being. Reflective functioning mediated the association between insecure attachment dimensions and well-being, suggesting that therapist's lower ability to mentalize may partially account for the effects of higher attachment insecurity on lower well-being. Conclusion: The well-being of psychotherapists with greater insecure attachment may deserve special attention, and therapists' mentalizing capacities may be targeted by researchers and trainers as a core ability to be cultivated in order to preserve therapists' professional and personal resources.
Authors: Erkki Heinonen; David E Orlinsky; Ulrike Willutzki; Michael Helge Rønnestad; Thomas Schröder; Irene Messina; Henriette Löffler-Stastka; Armin Hartmann Journal: Front Psychol Date: 2022-03-24