Purpose: Interpersonal relationships are viewed as important contexts within which psychopathology emerges and persists or desists. Attachment theory describes the dynamics of longterm relationships between humans especially as in families and life-long friendships. The present study is aimed at investigating attachment styles in adult patients with epilepsy as compared to subjects with migraine and their potential correlates with a history of mood disorders.Methods: A consecutive sample of 219 adult outpatients with epilepsy (117) or migraine (102) has been assessed with the Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ). Results:Patients with epilepsy and a lifetime history of mood disorders presented elevated scores for Need for approval (p<0.001) and Preoccupation with relationships (p<0.001). Age correlated with Relationships as secondary (r= 0.322; p<0.001) and Need for approval (r=0.217; p=0.019) subscales while age at onset correlated only with Relationships as secondary (r=0.225; p=0.015). Seizure free patients presented lower scores for Need for approval (p=0.003). Patients with migraine and a lifetime history of mood disorders presented lower scores in Confidence (p=0.002) and higher scores in Discomfort with closeness (p=0.026).Conclusions: An anxious-preoccupied attachment correlates with mood disorders in epilepsy while an avoidant pattern in migraine. Our results bring further data on the role of psychological variables for mood disorders in epilepsy. Further studies will allow early identification of patients at risk and the development of preventive strategies.
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