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. 2014 Jun 30;217(1-2):79-85.
doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2014.03.010. Epub 2014 Mar 13.

Attachment anxiety moderates the relationship between childhood maltreatment and attention bias for emotion in adults

Jennifer S Davis  1 , Negar Fani  2 , Kerry Ressler  3 , Tanja Jovanovic  2 , Erin B Tone  4 , Bekh Bradley  5
Affiliations

Attachment anxiety moderates the relationship between childhood maltreatment and attention bias for emotion in adults

Jennifer S Davis et al. Psychiatry Res. .

Abstract

Research indicates that some individuals who were maltreated in childhood demonstrate biases in social information processing. However, the mechanisms through which these biases develop remain unclear-one possible mechanism is via attachment-related processes. Childhood maltreatment increases risk for insecure attachment. The internal working models of self and others associated with insecure attachment may impact the processing of socially relevant information, particularly emotion conveyed in facial expressions. We investigated associations among child abuse, attachment anxiety and avoidance, and attention biases for emotion in an adult population. Specifically, we examined how self-reported attachment influences the relationship between childhood abuse and attention bias for emotion. A dot probe task consisting of happy, threatening, and neutral female facial stimuli was used to assess possible biases in attention for socially relevant stimuli. Our findings indicate that attachment anxiety moderated the relationship between maltreatment and attention bias for happy emotion; among individuals with a child abuse history, attachment anxiety significantly predicted an attention bias away from happy facial stimuli.

Keywords: Child abuse; Dot probe; Emotion processing.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Relationship of threat bias and attachment anxiety
Threat bias scores are displayed along the vertical axis and the sample population is represented by two groups of low and high attachment anxiety along horizontal axis. Error bars reflect standard deviation.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Relationship of happy bias and attachment anxiety by abuse history
Happy bias scores are displayed along the vertical axis and the sample population is represented by two groups of low and high attachment anxiety along horizontal axis. Participants with low abuse history are represented by a dotted line. Participants with a high abuse history are represented by a solid line.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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