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Adult Attachment Styles And Psychopathology In A Clinical Sample, Gary A. Sibcy

Faculty Dissertations

This study investigated the relationship between a self-report measure of adult attachment and a self-report measure of psychopathology. Sixty-one outpatients and fourteen acute inpatients were administered the Experiences in Close Relationships (Brennan, Clark, & Shaver, 1998) questionnaire and the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory--3 rd Edition (Millon, 1994), along with a basic demographics questionnaire. Results indicated that only ten percent of the participants were classified as secure while ninety percent were insecure. Relative to the secure group, both preoccupied and fearful attachment styles reported significantly higher levels of overall psychopathology, especially in regard to personality dysfunction. Moreover, when compared head-to-head with …