The thesis deals with connections between attachment and eating disorders (EDs) in females. It is divided into two sections - literature review and research. In the literature review, we define key subjects of the thesis, i.e. eating disorders and the concept of attachment. The research section is based on quantitative research. The research aims to explore 1) the relationship between ED risk and the dimension of attachment avoidance - anxiety within the concept of attachment, 2) the relationship between ED risk and early memories of warmth and safeness, and 3) if the dimension of attachment avoidance - anxiety within the concept of attachment and early memories of warmth and safeness increase the probability of EDs. The research was conducted via online questionnaire survey. The research sample consisted of 570 females in young adulthood (aged 20-30). The measures used in the research include Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), the ECR scale, and the EMWSS scale. The findings for our research sample suggest a statistically significant positive relationship between the dimension of attachment avoidance in the ECR scale and "Bulimia and Food Preoccupation" and "Oral Control" subscales in EAT-26. There has also been found a statistically significant positive relationship between the dimension of...

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The aim of the study has been to see if parent- youth relations have an impact on teenagers bullying behaviour and whether we can find any differences between boys and girls. To study this field we have used a quantitative approach using materials from Stockholmsenkäten 2014. In order to analyse the material we have used cross tables, indexes and multivariate cross tables analysis with associated significance test. In this study the attachment theory has been used. The results indicate that parent- youth relations seems to have an impact on teenagers bullying behaviour. The teenagers who bully others are more likely to have a bad parent- youth relations characterized by an insecure attachment to their parents. The opposite tends to apply for those who do not expose others to bullying, these teenagers usually have a good parent- youth relations where they have a secure attachment to their parents. Furthermore the result also indicate that the nature of the parent- youth relations along with if the adolescents expose others to bullying did not differ between boys and girls.

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the connection between attachment and self-disclosure behavior across communication technologies. Very little research has explored the connection between attachment and self-disclosure, and no studies have examined the relationship in the context of communication technologies. Drawing on attachment theory, self-disclosure literature, and communication technology research, this dissertation predicted that individuals with high anxious or high avoidance attachment would capitalize on the affordances of communication technologies and be associated with more self-disclosure behavior. Two studies were completed to test these hypotheses. Study one (n = 479) was a cross-sectional survey using participants recruited from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. Study two (n = 309) was an experiment where participants had their attachment system activated by experiencing a threatening situation hypothetically. Both studies had participants report self-disclosure behavior with their romantic partner in frequency and degree of intimacy. Each participant was randomly assigned one communication channel to report on (e.g., face-to-face, text messaging, email, or social networking sites). The results from the two studies provided mixed results for attachment and self-disclosure behavior across communication technologies. In general, anxious attachment was positively associated with self-disclosure frequency and degree of intimacy regardless of which channel was used, which was expected. Avoidance attachment was negatively associated with self-disclosure frequency, but only when the participant was experiencing a threatening situation. Neither attachment style interacted with the number of cues perceived to be available in a communication channel in the proposed direction when predicting self-disclosure behavior. However, both attachment dimensions interacted with a channel’s perceived expectation for response when predicting self-disclosure intimacy. When participants were not experiencing a threat to their security, those with high anxious or high avoidance attachment reported self-disclosing more intimately in channels perceived to have less expectation for response. Together these findings suggest individuals with high anxious attachment may use self-disclosure as a hyperactivating strategy to connect with an attachment figure. Individuals with high avoidance attachment choose not to self-disclose as a deactivating strategy that prevents intimacy from forming. Additionally, individuals with high anxious or high avoidance attachment can capitalize on a channel’s expectation for response and feel comfortable self-disclosing something intimate in a channel perceived to have a low expectation for response.

Background: This study examined whether levels of parental reflective function (RF), parental expressed emotion (EE) and children’s attachment styles are significantly related in a sample of children with high levels of conduct disorder (CD) symptoms. Method: The sample (n = 143) consisted of children aged 5-7 years at risk of behaviour problems. Participants were recruited from a borough of London and a unitary authority in the south west of England. Data for the three main variables and confounders were collected using semi-structured interview, direct observation and questionnaires from both parents and children. The Parent Development Interview (PDI) was used to assess RF; the Five-Minute Speech Sample to assess EE and the Manchester Child Attachment Story Task (MCAST) to assess child attachment. Results: Global levels of maternal RF did not significantly differ between the securely and insecurely attached groups of children. Mothers of securely attached children, however, had higher RF ratings on the negative interactions and anger subscales of the PDI compared to mothers of insecurely attached children. No significant difference was found in parental EE between secure and insecurely attached children. High EE-warmth was associated with high global RF, but there was no significant relationship between EE-criticism and RF. Multiple logistic regression found no significant relationships between parental RF, parental EE and child attachment. Conclusions: These findings may suggest that attachment classification influences the levels of maternal RF in specific negative situations. Conversely it is possible that high maternal RF in such situations enables mothers to respond more sensitively to their child, leading to more secure attachment. The finding that maternal RF and EE were not associated with child attachment may suggest these variables are not strongly related, the sample is too small to detect any effect or that the specific sample lacks variability in scores. To the author’s knowledge this is the first study to test for these relationships with confounders included in the model, which may explain the null findings.

Background: Attachment theory represents a developmental framework which proposes that early relationships with primary caregivers have an enduring effect on interpersonal relationships, affect regulation and psychological functioning throughout the lifespan. It has been suggested that this occurs via the influence of internal representations regarding the self, others and relationships, which form the basis of an attachment style in adulthood. Attachment has been conceptualised as a constructive theoretical basis from which to consider psychological mechanisms underlying the emotional distress, interpersonal problems and difficulties in affect regulation commonly associated with psychosis. Aims: A systematic literature review was conducted investigating the current research findings regarding adult attachment style in psychosis and clinical correlates of this. An empirical study used a cross sectional design to investigate the role of adult attachment style in emotional recovery in psychosis. It was hypothesised that attachment insecurity would be associated with higher levels of depression and symptom related distress. Interpersonal problems and emotion regulation were also investigated and it was predicted that these variables would mediate the relationship between attachment insecurity and increased emotional distress. Method: Individuals with psychosis (n=70) completed self report measures of adult attachment style, interpersonal problems and emotion regulation. Clinician rated measures of depression and symptom related distress were also completed. Results: The literature review revealed that adult attachment style is of relevance in psychosis as consistent findings of greater attachment insecurity in psychosis compared with non clinical populations have been reported. Adult attachment insecurity has been associated with a number of clinical outcomes in exploratory research. The empirical study found support for hypothesised associations between attachment insecurity and greater emotional distress. Predicted relationships were also supported between attachment insecurity and higher rates of interpersonal problems and more use of expressive suppression as an emotion regulation strategy. Interpersonal problems significantly mediated the relationship between attachment insecurity and emotional distress. The hypothesised mediating role of emotion regulation was not supported. Conclusions: Findings of the empirical study suggest that insecurity in adult attachment style is an important variable in understanding emotional distress in individuals with psychosis and that difficulties in interpersonal functioning, as a mediating factor in this relationship, may represent a useful focus in clinical work.

Attributable to the legacy of modernism, within the Western world there exists a widespread and as-yet unresolved sense of detachment from place; our contemporary, globalized condition has given rise to a visually-biased, alienating architecture lacking in meaningful, human connections to site or context, relying all too often upon the abstract projections of the distant and objective architect rather than on the realities of needs and experience. Whilst the field of environmental psychology (within which the topic of place has been widely researched) has suggested theoretical solutions, few practical methods for the translation of relevant findings into strategies for the generation of place and attachment have been developed. Following a literature review, this thesis identifies two key place-related theories which address the characteristics and psychological impact of the physical environment (Attention Restoration Theory (Kaplan, 1995) and Canter’s place theory (1977)); in binding these theories to architectural practice, the author offers a strategy capable of aiding the successful understanding and creation of place. Providing an architectural brief to which this study responds, the practice-based element of this research focuses upon the context of North Lands Creative Glass, in Lybster, Caithness. Through a personal account of the impact of place and its manifestation within the author’s works in glass, mixed media and on paper, this thesis proceeds to promote an honest, haptic narrative between the architect and the realities of context and experience; in doing so, it illustrates how an architecture conducive to a sense of place and attachment could be understood and created successfully.

Background. Help-seeking is a concept of growing interest in the context of psychosis and the move towards early intervention and community-based service models. Despite a preponderance of first episode studies in this field, help-seeking is also of clinical relevance to adults with more chronic psychosis in the face of spiralling patterns of relapse and diminished recovery. Recent research into attachment theory opens up new avenues for exploring aspects of relating in psychosis, including help-seeking in mental health service contexts. Methods. A systematic review of attachment and psychosis was carried out to critically assess the strength and nature of empirical support for this theory within a clinical context. A social-constructivist based grounded theory study of help-seeking and chronic psychosis was conducted amongst nine individuals in a long term rehabilitation service. This aimed to develop an experiential account and grounded theory of the processes shaping help-seeking for this clinical group. Study findings were reviewed against existing constructs of attachment style, service attachment, recovery style and beliefs about psychosis. Results. A grounded theory emerged from the study emphasising the importance of three domains; ‘beliefs about the self’, ‘beliefs about others’ and ‘service experience’, in dynamically shaping views to help-seeking and receiving, for those with chronic psychosis. Attachment theory and recovery coping style were seen as compatible with this model. Conclusions. Individuals with chronic psychosis may continue to experience difficulties with help-seeking and service engagement, even within supported service settings. An appreciation of the interpersonal significance of service interactions, and improved understanding in this area, may help services better anticipate, respond to and adjust their models of engaging for this important clinical group.

Inledning: Relationen mellan chef och medarbetare, samt relationens funktion, har under senare år fått en allt större betydelse inom ledarskapsforskning. Hur kan anknytningsteorin användas för att öka kunskapen om chefers sätt att förhålla sig till sitt ledarskap i vår del av världen? Syftet med denna studie är att under svenska förhållanden undersöka hur anknytningsstilar fördelar sig inom en grupp chefer inom hälso- och sjukvård, samt om det finns samband mellan chefens anknytningsstil och hur chefen upplever olika relationella parametrar i ledarskapet. Frågeställningar: Hur fördelar sig anknytningsstilar inom en grupp första linjens chefer inom en svensk hälso- och sjukvårdsorganisation? Finns det samband mellan anknytningsstil och hur chefen upplever olika relationella parametrar i ledarskapet? Metod: Första linjens chefer (N=40) från tio förvaltningar inom Västra Götalandsregionen fick besvara Relationship Questionnaire (RQ) och ett formulär avsett att mäta olika aspekter av deras trygghet som ledare. Resultat: Samtliga enkätsvar, 37 st. (92,5%), inkluderades i studien. Den helt dominerande anknytningsstilen var trygg anknytning (86,5%), medan fem personer (13,5%) kategoriserades som otryggt undvikande. Det fanns ett statistiskt signifikant positivt samband mellan anknytningsvariabeln Trygg och Ledarskapstrygghet, samt ett negativt signifikant samband mellan variabeln Otrygg rädd och Ledarskapstrygghet samt med delskalan Delaktighet. Chefer med otrygg undvikande anknytningsstil tenderade att uppleva en något lägre känsla av trygghet i ledarskapet än chefer med trygg anknytningsstil. Diskussion: En klar majoritet av cheferna i studien kategoriserade sig som tryggt anknutna, vilket överensstämmer med tidigare forskning. Anknytningsvariablerna Trygg jämte Otrygg rädd var de variabler som tenderade att ha de starkaste sambanden, framför allt med Ledarskapstrygghet och med delskalan Delaktighet. Resultaten får betraktas med viss försiktighet utifrån studiepopulationens storlek, homogenitet och mätinstrumentens validitet och reliabilitet. / Introduction: The relationship between leaders and employees, as well as the function of this relationship, has gained increasing importance in leadership research in recent years. How can attachment theory be used to increase knowledge of leaders' way of relating to leadership in our part of the world? The aim of this study is, under Swedish conditions, to investigate attachment styles within a group of leaders in a health care organization, and whether there are correlations between leaders’ attachment styles and how various relational parameters in leadership are experienced. Research question: How do attachment styles differ in a group of first-line managers within a Swedish health care organization? Are there correlations between attachment styles and how managers experience different relational parameters in his or her leadership? Method: First-line managers (N = 40) from ten administrations in Region Västra Götaland were asked to answer the Relationship Questionnaire (RQ) and a questionnaire designed to measure sense of leadership security. Results: All survey responses, 37 pcs. (92.5%) were included in the study. The dominant attachment style was secure (86.5%), while five people (13.5%) were categorized as dismissing. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between the attachment variable Secure and Leadership Security, and a negative significant relationship between the variable Fearful and Leadership Security, as well as with the subscale Participation. Leaders with dismissing attachment style tended to experience a slightly lower sense of security in his or her leadership than managers with secure attachment style. Discussion/Conclusion: A clear majority of leaders in the study categorized themselves as securely attached, consistent with previous research. Attachment variables Secure and Fearful tended to have the strongest correlations, particularly with Leadership Security and with the subscale Participation. The results must be regarded with some caution, based on the size and the homogeneity of the population studied and on validity and reliability of the questionnaires.

The personal characteristics of the therapist are strongly associated with therapeutic alliance and treatment outcome. Since treatment techniques are often shown to be equally effective, differential outcomes may be attributed to the therapist's early experiences and personality features. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of childhood relational trauma in predicting specific components of mentalizing skills (i.e., affect consciousness, psychological mindedness, mindfulness, cognitive empathy and theory of mind) among therapists. Participants were 121 clinical psychology doctoral and master's in mental health counseling students (20 males, 101 females) aged 22 to 53 years old (M = 27.26, SD = 5.25). Measures included the Child Abuse and Trauma Scale (CATS), Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS), Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS), Psychological Mindedness Scale (PMS), Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test-revised (RMET), Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI-PT/IRI-EC), Relationship Structures Questionnaire (RSQ) and a questionnaire assessing demographic information, graduate training and interests, personal therapy, objective childhood familial trauma and adult and peer support. Linear regression and hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses (HMLR) were conducted to assess the relationship between childhood relational trauma (CATS) and the various components of mentalization. HMLR was also used to determine whether relational style (anxious/avoidance) as measured through the RSQ moderated between childhood relational trauma and the mentalizing components. Finally, emotional empathy (IRI-EC) was examined as a potential mediator between childhood relational trauma and the mentalizing components using Andrew Hayes' SPSS macro. Post hoc analysis explored associations between the mentalization variables and demographic questionnaire items related to objective childhood familial trauma and support. Results revealed that childhood relational trauma significantly predicted lower levels of affect consciousness, psychological mindedness and mindfulness among therapists. Relational style was not found to be a significant moderator and emotional empathy was not found to be a significant mediator. Growing up with a parent who had a disability or physical illness was significantly associated with higher levels of emotional empathy in therapists. The implications of these results for the training and supervision of graduate level therapists are discussed.