An empirical study of attachment dimensions and mood disorders in inpatient substance abuse clients: The mediating role of spirituality

Abstract

Adult attachment style has been related to both spirituality and psychopathology. This study aimed to test the possible mediating role of two dimensions of spirituality (purpose and meaning in life and perceived relationship with God/higher power) between two attachment dimensions (anxiety and avoidance) and three mood disorders (major depressive disorder, dysthymia and bipolar). In total, 305 clients receiving inpatient substance abuse treatment completed a battery of self-report questionnaires. Path analyses revealed negative associations between the anxiety attachment and all the mood disorders. No significant associations were found for attachment avoidance and the mood disorders. Results also indicated negative associations between the two attachment dimensions and purpose and meaning in life. Concerning the perceived relationship with God/ higher power, attachment avoidance was the only dimension that showed a significant negative association. Mediating effects of meaning in life and the perceived relationship with God/higher power were found between both attachment dimensions and two of the mood disorders: major depressive disorder and dysthymia. Further analyses of the mediating effects revealed that purpose and meaning in life was the factor accounting for the mediating effects. Clinical implications and future direction for research were discussed. ARTICLE HISTORY

Associations Between Spirituality, Meaning in Life, and Depressive Disorders Among a Sample of Individuals in Treatment for Substance-Use Disorders

“…Dobbins (2004) examined spirituality and DYS in which anecdotal evidence of beneficial effects of spiritual interventions among addicted clients with comorbid DYS was reported. Luna, Horton, Newman, and Malloy (2015) used path analysis to test the mediating role of spirituality between three mood disorders-MDD, DYS, and BIPO-and attachment. They found that the purpose and meaning dimension of spirituality mediated the relationship between attachment and both MDD and DYS but not BIPO.…”