A longitudinal exploration of the impact of social anxiety and individual attachment on depression severity
Autor: | G. Camelia Adams, Thuy Le, Andrew J. Wrath, Mariam Alaverdashvili |
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Rok vydání: | 2019 |
Předmět: |
Adult
Male Depression levels Adolescent Psychological intervention Vulnerability Young Adult 03 medical and health sciences 0302 clinical medicine Primary prevention Bayesian multivariate linear regression Humans Longitudinal Studies Depression (differential diagnoses) Aged Early onset Depression Social anxiety Phobia Social Middle Aged Object Attachment 030227 psychiatry Psychiatry and Mental health Clinical Psychology Female Psychology 030217 neurology & neurosurgery Clinical psychology |
Zdroj: | Journal of Affective Disorders. 257:250-256 |
ISSN: | 0165-0327 |
Popis: | Background Research suggests that insecure attachment and early onset of social anxiety disorder (SAD) create vulnerability for future depression. The current study explores the mediating role of social anxiety symptoms in the relationship between attachment and depression at baseline and one year later. The study also looks at the longitudinal impact of changes in attachment and social anxiety, on depression severity. Methods Participants ( n = 162) completed structured clinical interviews and measures of depression, social anxiety, and adult attachment. A subsample of the participants ( n = 77) returned for a follow-up one year later and repeated the measures. Mediation analysis and multivariate linear regression were performed to examine the relationships between depression, social anxiety, and attachment. Results Social anxiety was a full mediator of the relationship between attachment avoidance and depression severity at baseline but only a partial mediator at one-year follow-up. Social anxiety was a partial mediator of the relationship between attachment anxiety and depression severity at both baseline and follow-up. Lower baseline depression levels, improvement in social anxiety and improvement in attachment avoidance over the next year, predicted lower levels of depression at follow-up. Limitations The study did not gather information regarding the treatments received between baseline and follow-up. Conclusions Social anxiety plays a significant role in mediating the vulnerability towards severe depression in insecurely attached individuals. Treating social anxiety, particularly in individuals with avoidant attachment, might decrease the severity of future depression. In addition, interventions targeting attachment avoidance in youth might aid primary prevention strategies. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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