The Vulnerable Attachment Style Questionnaire (VASQ): an interview-based measure of attachment styles that predict depressive disorder

Abstract

Background. The Vulnerable Attachment Style Questionnaire (VASQ) was developed to provide a brief self-report tool to assess adult attachment style in relation to depression and validated against an existing investigator-based interview (Attachment Style Interview – ASI). This paper describes the development and scoring of the VASQ and its relationship to poor support and major depression.Method. Items for the VASQ reflected behaviours, emotions and attitudes relating to attachment relationship style, drawn directly from the ASI. The VASQ was validated against the ASI for 262 community-based subjects. Test–retest was determined on 38 subjects.Results. Factor analysis derived two factors, labelled ‘insecurity’ and ‘proximity-seeking’. The VASQ insecurity dimension had highest mean scores for those with interview-based Angry-dismissive and Fearful styles and was significantly correlated with degree of interview-based insecurity. The proximity-seeking VASQ scores had highest mean for those with Enmeshed interview attachment style and was uncorrelated with ASI insecurity. VASQ scores were highly correlated with a well-known self-report measure of insecure attachment (Relationship Questionnaire) and text–retest reliability of the VASQ was satisfactory. The total VASQ score and the insecurity subscale proved highly related to poor support and to depressive disorder. This was not the case for the proximity-seeking subscale.Conclusion. The VASQ is a brief self-report measure that distinguishes individuals with attachment styles vulnerable for depressive disorder. The use of the measure for screening in research and clinical contexts is discussed.

Intergenerational Transmission of Internalizing Behavior: The Role of Maternal Psychopathology, Child Responsiveness and Maternal Attachment Style Insecurity

“…Additional caregivers were defined as day care providers, such as kindergarten teachers and day care parents who were involved in child rearing. Furthermore, maternal attachment style insecurity was assessed with the Vulnerable Attachment Style Questionnaire (VASQ) [33]. The mother-child interaction was coded by two trained and reliable psychologists who were blinded to the mental health status of the mothers using the Emotional Availability Scales (EA Scales) [3].…”

Anxious attachment style predicts an enhanced cortisol response to group psychosocial stress

“…The VASQ (Bifulco et al, 2003) is a brief self-report tool, which assesses general adult attachment. It is designed to assess overall attachment vulnerability as well as two dimensions of attachment: a global dimension of attachment insecurity common to all insecure subtypes (representing a deep-rooted mistrust of others and their motives) and a proximity seeking dimension reflecting the strategy individuals use to manage their insecurity (i.e.…”

“…2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 Another distinguishing feature of this study was the use of the VASQ for the assessment of attachment style. We chose to use this self-report tool as it has been shown to perform somewhat better in predicting depression than other self-report measures of attachment (Bifulco et al, 2003), as well as predicting negative psychosocial well-being and mental health in university students (Carr et al, 2013). The study has several other strengths in that self-reported menstrual phase, age, smoking and BMI were all accounted for in the modelling of cortisol reactivity.…”

“…The most commonly used tool to assess attachment style in adult stress reactivity studies is the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale (Brennan et al, 1995), which assesses attachment in romantic relationships. The Vulnerable Attachment Style Questionnaire (VASQ; Bifulco et al, 2003) is arguably a more appropriate measure for use in research investigating attachment and HPA axis activity as, rather than romantic attachment, it focuses on how individuals generally relate to others. Furthermore it performs somewhat better in predicting depression than other self-report measures of attachment (Bifulco et al, 2003), as well as predicting negative psychosocial well-being and mental health in university students (Carr et al, 2013).…”

“…The Vulnerable Attachment Style Questionnaire (VASQ; Bifulco et al, 2003) is arguably a more appropriate measure for use in research investigating attachment and HPA axis activity as, rather than romantic attachment, it focuses on how individuals generally relate to others. Furthermore it performs somewhat better in predicting depression than other self-report measures of attachment (Bifulco et al, 2003), as well as predicting negative psychosocial well-being and mental health in university students (Carr et al, 2013). The VASQ, was developed and validated in relation to an in-depth interview procedure (Attachment Style Interview; Bifulco et al, 2002a;Bifulco et al, 2002b) which has been used in previous research examining HPA axis activity and attachment style (Oskis et al, 2014;Oskis et al, 2011).…”