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The relationships between psychological mindedness, parental bonding and adult attachment
Author(s) -
Bourne Kathryn,
Berry Katherine,
Jones Lisa
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
psychology and psychotherapy: theory, research and practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.102
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 2044-8341
pISSN - 1476-0835
DOI - 10.1111/papt.12007
Subject(s) - psychology , developmental psychology , insecure attachment , clinical psychology , psychological control , attachment theory , young adult
Objectives The aims of this study were to clarify the relationship between psychological mindedness and attachment relationships in childhood and adulthood. Design This analogue study examined associations between psychological mindedness and attachment using a cross‐sectional design. Method Participants completed questionnaire measures of psychological mindedness, parental bonding, and adulthood attachment relationships .Results As hypothesized, psychological mindedness was strongly, negatively correlated with attachment avoidance in adulthood. Psychological mindedness was also positively correlated with perceived maternal care in childhood, and negatively correlated with perceived paternal over‐protection. However, a regression analysis found that attachment avoidance in adulthood was a more significant predictor of psychological mindedness than parental bonding experiences in childhood. Conclusions Further research is needed to replicate associations between attachment and psychological mindedness in clinical samples and to explore additional constructs which influence psychological mindedness. Practitioner points High attachment avoidance may be a potential risk factor for poor psychological mindedness. Helping individuals to develop more secure attachments in their adult relationships may improve their psychological mindedness.