Open AccessInternal Working Models of Attachment Relationships and HIV Outcomes Among Women Living With HIV
Author(s) -
Bülent Turan,
Kaylee B. Crockett,
Mirjam-Colette Kempf,
Deborah KonkleParker,
Tracey E. Wilson,
Phyllis C. Tien,
Gina M. Wingood,
Torsten B. Neilands,
Mallory O. Johnson,
Sheri D. Weiser,
Janet M. Turan
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1944-7884
pISSN - 1525-4135
DOI - 10.1097/qai.0000000000001872
Subject(s) - stressor , anxiety , psychological intervention , attachment theory , feeling , clinical psychology , interpersonal communication , psychology , protective factor , association (psychology) , medicine , psychiatry , social psychology , psychotherapist
Treatment adherence and viral suppression remain suboptimal in the United States. Attachment insecurity may be one understudied factor affecting adherence. According to attachment theory, people develop generalized internal working models of interpersonal relationships, which shape their perceptions of the availability of others at times of stress and how they handle stressors as an individual. Two dimensions of attachment insecurity are attachment-related avoidance (avoidance of intimacy with others and avoidance of negative emotions) and attachment-related anxiety (feeling unable to deal with stressors without others' help). For people living with chronic stressful health conditions that require life-long self-management, attachment-related avoidance and attachment-related anxiety may diminish the ability to cope with stressors as an individual leading to negative health outcomes.