Differential Pathways from Child Maltreatment Types to Insecure Adult Attachment Styles via Psychological and Social Resources: A Bayesian Network Analysis

Abstract

Child maltreatment has been linked to insecure adult attachment. However, it is not yet clear how different child maltreatment types are associated with attachment-related anxiety and avoidance in adulthood; and whether resilience against these insecure attachment styles is dependent on risk-specific resources. Therefore, this study explored differential pathways from child maltreatment types to attachment-related anxiety and avoidance in adulthood and examined whether psychological resources (self-esteem) and social resources (perceived social support) show risk-specific effects. An online survey retrospectively assessed experiences of child maltreatment, the level of attachment-related anxiety and avoidance in adulthood, self-esteem, and perceived social support in N = 604 former members of fundamentalist Christian faith communities (mean age = 41.27 years, SD = 12.50; 65.90% female). Cross-sectional data was analyzed using Bayesian network analysis. Only emotional child maltreatment showed direct relationships to insecure adult attachment. Specifically, emotional abuse and emotional neglect were associated with anxious and avoidant adult attachment, respectively. The effects of other child abuse types on adult attachment were mediated through emotional abuse, which indicated patterns of complex traumatization. Self-esteem mediated the effect of emotional abuse on anxious attachment, while perceived social support mediated the effect of emotional neglect on avoidant attachment. Social support was also linked to self-esteem and was therefore also important for individuals with experiences of emotional abuse. This study showed that child maltreatment types and their interactions are meaningfully linked to attachment-related anxiety and avoidance in adulthood. Interventions for survivors of child maltreatment should focus on risk-specific resources to support their resilience.

Early-life adversity and later-life mental health: a conditional process analysis of sense of coherence and resilience-related resources

“…As the first step in exploring the relationship between SOC-R and resilience-related resources after early-life adversity, the current analysis included self-efficacy, optimism, and social support as well-established psychosocial resilience resources [e.g., (21,32)]. Given the partial mediating effects of these resources, future studies should expand this model to include additional internal and external psychosocial resources, such as self-esteem, self-compassion, coping beliefs, and attachment (25,31,86); as well as neurobiological factors, such as cortisol reactivity, inflammatory (dys-)regulation, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function (26,75). Going beyond interpersonal resources, consideration of the broader cultural and socio-ecological influences on SOC-R could include factors such as cultural value orientations, community cohesion, and utilization of health services (16,21,87).…”

“…However, these individual and external resources do not act in isolation, but rather interact to impact (mental) health outcomes (16,24). Although emerging research has attempted to characterize the links between early-life adversity and the expression of psychopathology or resilience [e.g., (25,26)], the interplay of relevant mechanisms remains largely unclear. Ongoing research attention is therefore required to clarify the mechanisms underpinning the pathways to (mental) health and wellbeing following early-life adversity.…”