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The Impact of Insecure Attachment on Social Functioning in Women with Schizophrenia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 August 2024

S. Walha*
Affiliation:
Psychiatry « B » department, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
I. Chaari
Affiliation:
Psychiatry « B » department, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
A. Mellouli
Affiliation:
Psychiatry « B » department, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
A. Samet
Affiliation:
Psychiatry « B » department, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
L. Aribi
Affiliation:
Psychiatry « B » department, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
F. Charfeddine
Affiliation:
Psychiatry « B » department, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
N. Mseddi
Affiliation:
Psychiatry « B » department, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
J. Aloulou
Affiliation:
Psychiatry « B » department, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

Attachment styles is intrinsically related to the capacity for forming close social bonds, making it a vital lens through which to understand social functioning.

Objectives

This study investigates the link between attachment styles and social functioning among women diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Methods

We carried out a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study from May to June 2023, focusing on stabilized female patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. The study took place in the ‘B’ psychiatry department of Hedi Chaker University Hospital in Sfax, Tunisia. Data on attachment styles and social functioning were collected using self-report questionnaires: the Revised Psychosis Attachment Measure (PAM_R) and the Social Functioning Scale (SFS). In our study, we employed both the Wilcoxon test for paired samples and the Spearman correlation test to assess the differences and correlations between attachment scores and social functioning scores, respectively.

Results

In the study, 41 female patients were included. The participants had a mean age of 49.19, ranging from 19 to 79 years old. Attachment styles were predominantly avoidant (60.97%), followed by anxious (24.39%) and disorganized (14.63%). A significant portion, 39%, exhibited low social functioning. The domains most affected were leisure (63.41%) and employment (60.97%). Our analysis revealed negative correlations between avoidant attachment and social functioning in leisure activities (Spearman’s ρ = -0.057, p < 0.05) as well as between avoidant attachment and independence performance (Spearman’s ρ = -0.040, p < 0.05). Also, the correlation coefficient for anxious attachment and leisure activities is 0.041, demonstrating a positive association (p < 0.005).

Conclusions

These initial findings may imply a potential association between attachment styles and social functioning in schizophrenia.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared

Type
Abstract
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of European Psychiatric Association
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