Adult attachment styles and cognitions styles in patients with anxiety disorders

Research indicates that individuals with anxiety disorders harbour cognitions related to threat and harm and have had an insecure attachment style. This indicates a relationship between attachment styles and cognitions in anxiety disorders. The study explores relationship between the two in a sample of 40 patients with anxiety disorders selected from inpatient and outpatient services of a psychiatric hospital. A single group, cross sectional, exploratory design with purposive sampling was adopted. The measures used included Socio-demographic and clinical data Sheet, Adult Attachment Style Interview Schedule, Dysfunctional Attitude Scale, Anxiety Sensitivity Index, Anxious Thoughts and Tendencies and Beck Depression Inventory. MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview was used to screen the patients. The tools were administered individually after obtaining consent. Results show that majority of the sample had insecure attachment style and high level of dysfunctional cognitions. There was no signiicant diference in the anxiety sensitivity across diferent attachment styles and diferent levels of dysfunctional cognitions. A positive correlation between the anxiety sensitivity and dysfunctional attitudes and negative correlation between secure adult attachment style and dysfunctional cognitions was found. The indings establish the relationship between attachment styles and cognitions in anxiety disorders. Findings have implications with respect to addressing anxiety sensitivity while working on the cognitions related to anxiety as well as addressing attachment styles.