Giacomo Ciocca1, Rodolfo Rossi2, Alberto Collazzoni3, Fiorela Gorea4, Blerina Vallaj4, Paolo Stratta5, Lucia Longo6, Erika Limoncin2, Daniele Mollaioli2, Dino Gibertoni7, Emiliano Santarnecchi8, Francesca Pacitti9, Cinzia Niolu6, Alberto Siracusano6, Emmanuele A Jannini2, Giorgio Di Lorenzo10. 1. Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. 2. Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy. 3. Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Italy. 4. Catholic University of "Our Lady of Good Council", Tirana, Albania. 5. Department of Mental Health, ASL 01 Avezzano-Sulmona-L'Aquila, Italy. 6. Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy; Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy. 7. DIBINEM Department of Biomedical And Neuromotor Sciences, Unit of Hygiene, Public Health And Biostatistics, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. 8. Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Italy; Berenson-Allen Center for Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. 9. Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Italy; Catholic University of "Our Lady of Good Council", Tirana, Albania. 10. Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy; Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: di.lorenzo@med.uniroma2.it.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Insecure attachment styles and immature or neurotic defense mechanisms are related to psychological distress. However, their mutual interaction in influencing psychological distress deserves further investigation. METHODS: One-thousand-one-hundred-twenty-nine University students were evaluated using the Global Severity Index of Symptoms Check List 90-Revised for psychological distress, Relationship Questionnaire for attachment styles and Defense Style Questionnaire for defense mechanisms. Following exploratory analyses, a Path Analysis was performed with psychological distress as outcome. RESULTS: Fearful and preoccupied attachment styles had a substantial impact on psychological distress. About 30% of their effect was mediated by Immature and Neurotic defenses, with the former having the major effect. Dismissing attachment showed no substantial effect on psychological distress. Secure Attachment and Mature Defenses had a small protective effect on psychological distress, but their inclusion in the path model did not improve overall goodness-of-fit. Attachment style and defense mechanisms accounted for nearly 25% of the variance in psychological distress. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that attachment styles and defense mechanisms have a substantial impact on psychological distress. The effect of attachment style is mediated by defense mechanisms. Individual differences in attachment style and defense mechanisms represent risk factors for psychological distress in young adults.
INTRODUCTION: Insecure attachment styles and immature or neurotic defense mechanisms are related to psychological distress. However, their mutual interaction in influencing psychological distress deserves further investigation. METHODS: One-thousand-one-hundred-twenty-nine University students were evaluated using the Global Severity Index of Symptoms Check List 90-Revised for psychological distress, Relationship Questionnaire for attachment styles and Defense Style Questionnaire for defense mechanisms. Following exploratory analyses, a Path Analysis was performed with psychological distress as outcome. RESULTS: Fearful and preoccupied attachment styles had a substantial impact on psychological distress. About 30% of their effect was mediated by Immature and Neurotic defenses, with the former having the major effect. Dismissing attachment showed no substantial effect on psychological distress. Secure Attachment and Mature Defenses had a small protective effect on psychological distress, but their inclusion in the path model did not improve overall goodness-of-fit. Attachment style and defense mechanisms accounted for nearly 25% of the variance in psychological distress. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that attachment styles and defense mechanisms have a substantial impact on psychological distress. The effect of attachment style is mediated by defense mechanisms. Individual differences in attachment style and defense mechanisms represent risk factors for psychological distress in young adults.