Universality and Normativity of the Attachment Theory in Non-Western Psychiatric and Non-Psychiatric Samples: Multiple Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA)

Abstract

This study tests for the first time the validity of universality and normativity assumptions related to the attachment theory in a non-Western culture, using a novel design including psychiatric and non-psychiatric samples as part of a comprehensive exploratory and advanced confirmatory framework. Three attachment assessments were distributed to 212 psychiatric outpatients and 300 non-psychiatric samples in Yemen. The results of the fourteen approaches of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) produce a similar result and assertion that the psychiatric outpatients tend to explore attachment outcomes based on multi-methods, while the non-psychiatric samples suggest an attachment orientation based on multi-traits (self–other). The multiple group-confirmatory factor analysis (MG-CFA) demonstrates that the multi-method model fits the psychiatric samples better than the non-psychiatric samples. Equally, the MG-CFA suggests that the multi-traits model also fits the psychiatric samples better than the non-psychiatric samples. Implications of the results are discussed.

Evaluation of an Online Gottman’s Psychoeducational Intervention to Improve Marital Communication among Iranian Couples

“…Furthermore, pandemic-triggered stress can increase the influence of contextual vulnerabilities and, hence, couples that are already facing difficulties to achieve basic needs may have restricted cognitive, emotional and social support in handling the additional stress. They realize that they are in an unsafe situation, and experience high levels of stress and anxiety [62], which is related to deconstructive relationships.…”

“…Hence, they will show negative communication instead of positive communication. These couples have many conflicts without any solution, and the unresolved problems affect their mental and physical health [62,63].…”