To investigate the characteristics related to avoidant attachment of 13 schizoid/avoidant psychiatric outpatients and 20 nonschizoid/avoidant psychiatric outpatients.
Method
Three scales (“maintains distance in relationships”, “high priority on self-sufficiency” and “attachment relationship is a threat to security”) differentiated schizoid and avoidant personality disordered patients from other personality disordered patients.
Results
The results are discussed in terms of the attachment and DSM diagnostic models of avoidant styles in relationships.
Conclusion
The 2 groups of schizoid and avoidant personality disordered patients were not significantly different on the desire for close affectional bonds scale.
References
1.
WidigerT.A., FrancesA.The DSM-III personality disorders: perspectives from psychology.Arch Gen Psych85; 42: 615–623.
2.
SheldonA., WestM.The functional discrimination of affiliation and attachment: theory and empirical demonstration.Br J Psychiatry1989; 155: 18–23.
3.
TrullT.J., WidigerT., FrancesA.Covariation of criteria sets for avoidant, schizoid and dependent personality disorders.Am J Psychiatry1987; 144: 767–771.
4.
LivesleyW.J., JacksonD.N., SchroederM.L.Dimensions of personality pathology.Can J Psychiatry1991; 36: 557–562.
5.
GortonG., AkhtarS.The literature on personality disorders, 1985–1988: trends, issues and controversies.Hosp Commun Psychiatry1990; 41: 39–50.
6.
OverholderJ.C.Differentiation between schizoid and avoidant personalities: an empirical test.Can J Psychiatry1989; 34: 785–790.
WestM., Sheldon-KellerA.Patterns of relating: an adult attachment perspective.New York: The Guilford Press,1994.
16.
WidigerT., FrancesA.Interviews and inventories for the measurement of personality disorders.Clin Psychol Rev1987; 1: 49–75.
17.
FreudS.Group psychology and the analysis of the ego. In: StracheyJ., editor. The standard edition of the complete psychologican works of Sigmund Freud.London: Hogarth Press,1959.
18.
JaspersK.General psychopathology.Chicago: University of Chicago Press,1963.
19.
MainM.Avoidance in the service of attachment: a working paper. In: ImmelmanK., BarlowG., PetrinovichL., editors. Behavioral development: the Bielefeld interdisciplinary program.Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press,1981: 651–693.
20.
CassidyJ., KobakR.Avoidance and its relation to other defensive processes. In: BelskyJ., NezworskiT., editors. Clinical implications of attachment.Hillsdale NJ: Erlbaum, pp 300–325.
21.
LivesleyW.J., SchroederM.L., JacksonD.N.Categorical distinctions in the study of personality disorder: implications for classification.J Abnorm Psychol1994; 103: 6–17.
22.
WidigerT.A., CostaP.T.Personality and personality disorders.J Abnorm Psychol1994; 103: 78–91.
