CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, ATTACHMENT STYLES AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AMONG PATIENTS DIAGNOSED WITH FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGICAL SYMPTOM DISORDER
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Date
0023-06-12
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KINNAIRE COLLEGE PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the relationship between childhood trauma, attachment
styles and psychological distress among patients diagnosed with Functional Neurological
Symptom Disorder. It further examined the mediating role of attachment styles between
childhood trauma and psychological distress. Correlational research design was used to conduct
the study. A sample of female and male adult patients diagnosed with Functional Neurological
Symptom Disorder (N = 120), (Females = 108, Males = 12), between the ages of 14-65, (M=
26.7, SD= 6.30) was recruited from government and semi government hospitals across Lahore.
All participants completed Childhood Traumatic Events Scale (Pennebaker & Sussman, 1987),
The Relationship Questionnaire (Bartholomew & Shaver, 1990) and The 10-item Kessler Scale
of Psychological Distress (Kessler et al., 2003). Results showed a significant positive
relationship between the traumas of death of closed ones, divorce or separation in parents, sexual
abuse, major upheaval in life and fearful, dismissive attachment styles and psychological
distress. Psychological distress was found to have positive significant relationship with
preoccupied attachment styles. It was also found that fearful, preoccupied and dismissive
attachment styles mediated the relationship between least experienced domain of childhood
trauma i.e. trauma of divorce/separation in parents and psychological distress. Findings from this
study could emphasize the importance of early identification and intervention for individuals
with a history of childhood trauma and insecure attachment styles.
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Keywords
: Childhood Trauma, Attachment Styles, Psychological Distress, Patients Diagnosed with Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder.