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Food allergy and attitudes to close interpersonal relationships: An exploratory study on attachment
Author(s) -
Polloni Laura,
Schiff Sami,
Ferruzza Emilia,
Lazzarotto Francesca,
Bonaguro Roberta,
Toniolo Alice,
Celegato Nicolò,
Muraro Antonella
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
pediatric allergy and immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.269
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1399-3038
pISSN - 0905-6157
DOI - 10.1111/pai.12732
Subject(s) - medicine , attachment theory , food allergy , closeness , interpersonal communication , interpersonal relationship , allergy , social support , anxiety , clinical psychology , disease , psychiatry , immunology , psychology , mathematical analysis , social psychology , mathematics , psychotherapist
Background Food allergy is a common immunologic disease that includes potentially fatal reactions. It impacts considerably on patients’ social life including close interpersonal relationships. Attachment theory provides a theoretic framework to evaluate the quality of close interpersonal relationships in chronic disorders. Attachment insecurity, mainly characterized by attachment avoidance, has been found in a variety of health conditions, but still needs to be investigated in food allergy. The study aimed to investigate attachment, as attitude to close interpersonal relationships, among food‐allergic young patients, compared to healthy controls. Methods This is a cross‐sectional study involving patients suffering from IgE‐mediated food allergy sequentially recruited and matched to healthy controls for age and gender. The Attachment Style Questionnaire ( ASQ ) was used to assess five factors and two attachment dimensions (Anxiety‐Avoidance). Associations with anaphylaxis and adrenaline prescription were explored among patients. Results 174 participants were assessed (female=45%; mean age=17.51; SD =4.26). Food‐allergic patients reported significantly higher levels of Discomfort with Closeness ( P <.05), Relationships as Secondary ( P <.05) and Attachment Avoidance ( P <.0001) compared to controls. Conclusions Clinicians should be aware of implications of insecure attachment for health and illness. They should support patients in limiting social impairment finding a balance between safety and psychologic well‐being.