Attachment and Mindfulness as Mediators in the Relationship Between Childhood Adversity and Personality Outcomes.
Jennifer Roters, Angela Book
Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma December 2023 DOI: 10.1007/s40653-023-00553-x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study using youth retrospective data with three mediation models Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 395 |
| Population | Youths aged 12-18 (mean age 14.64, SD 1.52) providing retrospective data |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Abuse Anxious attachment Avoidant attachment Borderline personality Neglect Psychopathy |
| Key findings | Childhood adversity was indirectly related to borderline traits through anxious attachment and lower mindfulness, and to psychopathic traits (Factors 1 and 2) through avoidant attachment and lower mindfulness. The authors argue that lower mindfulness and insecure attachment are important factors in the expression of disordered personality, suggesting mindfulness- and attachment-focused interventions could mitigate adversity's harmful effects. |
Abstract
Past research has shown that those with greater experiences of adversity (abuse and neglect) tend to exhibit insecure attachments, more borderline symptoms, higher psychopathic traits, and are lower in mindfulness. Similarly, there have been positive relationships between insecure attachment styles and borderline and psychopathic traits as well as lower mindfulness and borderline and psychopathic traits. Further, adversity can have a detrimental effect on physical and mental health, including attachment and personality, which necessitate examining this further. The purpose of this study was to examine the indirect relationships between childhood adversity and borderline traits, Factor 1, and Factor 2 of psychopathy all through lower mindfulness, anxious attachment, and avoidant attachment respectively. In this study, using youth retrospective data (N = 395, age range = 12-18, M = 14.64, SD = 1.52), 3 separate mediation models are examined. As expected, the relationship between adversity and borderline traits was indirect through anxious attachment (β = 0.075, p < .01) and lower mindfulness (β = 0.069, p < .01). For psychopathic traits, the relationship was indirect through avoidant attachment (Factor 1: β = 0.078, p < .05; Factor 2: β = 0.071, p < .05) and lower mindfulness (Factor 1: β = 0.074, p < .01: Factor 2: β = 0.076, p < .01). The results suggest that lower mindfulness and insecure attachment are important factors in the expression of disordered personality. Therefore, both mindfulness and attachment-focused interventions could mitigate the harmful effects of adversity and the subsequent expression of disordered personality symptoms.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |