Author
Arıkan, Gizem, Ustundag-Budak, A. M., Toz, N., Senturk, G.
Publication Date
2023
Publication Place
-
Taylor & Francis
Subject
Attachment state of mind, Caregiving helplessness, Emotion regulation, Mental health, Unresolved/disorganized attachment
Type
Periodical
Language
English
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Library
Özyeğin University
Library Asset ID
1461-6734
Record ID
793a2e46-199d-4aed-95a5-9df52310ffa5
Library Location
Psychology
Date
2023
Sample Text
Mothers’ emotion regulation, mental health, and feeling of helplessness in caring for their child may vary based on maternal attachment classifications. Particularly, insecure attachment and unresolved state of mind can act as risk factors. Therefore, we examined how emotion regulation strategies of suppression and cognitive reappraisal, maternal symptoms of depression and anxiety, and caregiving helplessness differ based on maternal attachment classifications in the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI). Fifty mothers of children in the early childhood (AgeRange = 12-56 months) completed a pack of questionnaires, including Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, Brief Symptom Inventory, and Caregiving Helplessness Questionnaire. Then AAI interview protocol was administered and coded. Mothers did not vary in emotion regulation strategies, indicating emotion regulation balance. However, mothers with secure/autonomous AAIs reported less anxiety than mothers whose AAIs were judged to show unresolved loss or unresolved trauma. The mothers who provided AAIs judged to be secure/autonomous scored lower in depression and caregiving helplessness than mothers whose AAIs were judged to show unresolved loss or unresolved trauma. To our knowledge, this is one of the first studies conducting AAI in Turkish mothers. We revealed the critical role of secure attachment for mental health and caregiving helplessness that can facilitate interventions targeting maternal attachment mind state.
DOI
10.1080/14616734.2023.2219657
Cilt
25
