Attachment style and immunity: A 1-year longitudinal study

Picardi, Angelo; Miglio, Rossella; Tarsitani, Lorenzo; Battisti, Francesca; Baldassari, M; Copertaro, Alfredo; Mocchegiani, Eugenio; Cascavilla, Isabella; Biondi, Massimo

doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2012.10.001

Cited by 23 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…Relationship expectations and perceptions associated with attachment insecurity likely contribute to this link. Consistent with this idea, women with greater attachment avoidance (but not attachment anxiety) evidenced lower natural killer cell cytotoxicity (NKCC, an immune marker) across four timepoints during a one-year period, even after accounting for factors such as smoking, alcohol use, and perceived social support [28]. (Neither form of attachment was associated with a second immune marker, lymphocyte proliferative response, a functional test of the immune response [e.g., to specific antigens]).…”

Section: Immune Responsesmentioning

confidence: 90%

Adult attachment and physical health

Pietromonaco

Beck

2019

Current Opinion in Psychology

100

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This article examines how individual differences in adult attachment shape regulatory strategies and relationship behaviors, which in turn influence health-related responses, behaviors, and outcomes. We review links between attachment and physiological responses to stress (e.g., hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis responses, cardiovascular responses, immune responses), health behavior (e.g., substance use, diet), and downstream health and disease outcomes. Recent evidence suggests that attachment insecurity (attachment anxiety and/or attachment avoidance) is associated with dysregulated physiological responses to stress, risky health behaviors, susceptibility to physical illness, and poorer disease outcomes. These associations depend, in part, on the relationship context, including the other partner's attachment style and behavior. We suggest that a dyadic approach considering both partners' attachment styles and behaviors will enhance interventions to promote health.

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Section: Immune Responsesmentioning

confidence: 90%

Adult attachment and physical health

Pietromonaco

Beck

2019

Current Opinion in Psychology

100

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“…Higher scores indicate greater perceived social support. The Italian version of the instrument has been used in many previous studies [ 92 - 95 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parental Burden and its Correlates in Families of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Multicentre Study with Two Comparison Groups

Picardi

Gigantesco

Tarolla

et al. 2018

CPEMH

Self Cite

137

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Background:The effects of having a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) on parents are multifaceted and pervasive. While ample evidence has been provided that these families are under severe stress, there are still several knowledge gaps and unresolved questions.Objective:This study aimed at quantifying the subjective and objective burden of ASD in mothers and fathers, and at improving the understanding of the interplay between parental burden, child’s characteristics, and parents’ coping resources and strategies.Methods:The parents of 359 children/adolescents with ASD were compared to parents of age-matched patients with Down syndrome (N=145) and Type 1 diabetes mellitus (N=155). Child’s clinical characteristics and parents’ caregiving burden, psychological distress, coping resources and strategies were assessed.Results:The parents of children with ASD reported higher objective and subjective burden, more frequent psychological distress, lower social support. Mothers reported greater subjective burden than fathers. Structural equation modeling showed that the most consistent positive and negative predictors of objective and subjective burden were ASD symptom severity and social support, respectively. Other positive predictors were engagement, distraction and disengagement coping, intellectual disability, and adaptive functioning. Other negative predictors were spiritual wellbeing and hardiness. Some effects were indirect through social support and coping strategies.Conclusion:This study confirmed that parents of children with ASD carry a huge caregiving burden, and added to our understanding of the factors associated with burden. The findings may help inform the design of effective interventions aimed at reducing burden among the parents of children with ASD.

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“…Attachment avoidance (minimization of distress) has been implicated in immune responses to acute stressors. Picardi et al [6] found that attachment avoidance was negatively associated with natural killer cell counts over a one year period, while Jaremka et al [7] reported that anxious attachment predicted higher cortisol levels and fewer T cells after a marital discussion task in couples. Gouin et al [8] found that attachment avoidance predicted an increased inflammatory response (IL-6) in couples after a marital conflict discussion.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Attachment anxiety predicts IL-6 and length of hospital stay in coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) patients

Kidd

Poole

Leigh

et al. 2014

Journal of Psychosomatic Research

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ObjectiveThe mechanisms underlying the association between adult attachment and health are not well understood. In the current study, we investigated the relationship between attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, inflammation, and length of hospital stay in coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery patients.Method167 CABG patients completed an attachment questionnaire prior to surgery, and blood samples were taken before and after surgery to assess inflammatory activity.ResultsWe found that attachment anxiety predicted higher plasma interleukin 6 (IL-6) concentration, and this association was mediated by self-reported sleep quality. Anxious attachment also predicted longer hospital stays following CABG surgery, even after controlling for demographic and clinical factors.ConclusionThese data suggest that increased levels of IL-6 may be a process linking adult attachment anxiety with health outcomes.

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Attachment style and immunity: A 1-year longitudinal study

Cited by 23 publications

References 48 publications

Adult attachment and physical health

Adult attachment and physical health

Parental Burden and its Correlates in Families of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Multicentre Study with Two Comparison Groups

Attachment anxiety predicts IL-6 and length of hospital stay in coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) patients

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