Attachment security and alexithymia in a heavy drinking sample

Fred Arne Thorberg; Ross Young; Karen A Sullivan; Michael Lyvers; Cameron Hurst; Jason Connor; Gerald Feeney

doi:10.3109/16066359.2011.580065

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Attachment security and alexithymia in a heavy drinking sample

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Attachment security and alexithymia in a heavy drinking sample

Fred Arne Thorberg, Ross Young, Karen A Sullivan, Michael Lyvers, Cameron Hurst, Jason Connor and Gerald Feeney

Addiction Research & Theory, Vol.19(6), pp.566-570

2011

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3109/16066359.2011.580065

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Abstract

alcohol dependence

alexithymia

Attachment

Attachment difficulties have been proposed as a key risk factor for the development of alexithymia, a multifaceted personality trait characterised by difficulties identifying and describing feelings, a lack of imagination and an externally oriented thinking style. This study investigated the relationship between attachment and alexithymia in an alcohol-dependent population. Participants were 210 outpatients in a Cognitive Behavioural Treatment programme assessed on the Toronto Alexithymia Scale and the Revised Adult Attachment Scale. Significant relationships between anxious attachment and alexithymia factors were confirmed. Furthermore, alexithymic alcoholics reported significantly higher levels of anxious attachment and significantly lower levels of closeness (secure attachment) compared to non-alexithymic alcoholics. These findings highlight the importance of assessing and targeting anxious attachment among alexithymic alcoholics in order to improve alcohol treatment outcomes.

Details

Title: Attachment security and alexithymia in a heavy drinking sample
Authors: Fred Arne Thorberg (Author) - Queensland University of Technology
Ross Young (Author) - Queensland University of Technology
Karen A Sullivan (Author) - Queensland University of Technology
Michael Lyvers (Author) - Bond University
Cameron Hurst (Author) - Queensland University of Technology
Jason Connor (Author) - The University of Queensland
Gerald Feeney (Author) - The University of Queensland
Publication details: Addiction Research & Theory, Vol.19(6), pp.566-570
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Date published: 2011
DOI: 10.3109/16066359.2011.580065
ISSN: 1476-7392; 1606-6359
Copyright note: Copyright (c) 2011. This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Addiction Research and Theory on 2011, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.3109/16066359.2011.580065
Organisation Unit: University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation)
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99551005402621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Social Issues; Substance Abuse

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