[Parental and peer attachment of hospitalized adolescent patients--pilot study].

AIM

In the context of Bowlby's theory of attachment authors made an attempt to assess parental and peer attachment in different clinical subgroups of hospitalised adolescents.

METHOD

142 patients--58 with the diagnosis of neurotic disorders, 49 eating disorders and 35 patients with schizophrenic disorders, as well 34 untreated, healthy adolescents were assessed by The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment by Armsden and Greenberg.

RESULTS

The group of schizophrenic patients was characterised by disturbed attachment with peers and normal attachment with parents.Two other diagnostic subgroups, neurotic and eating disorders were similar as far as nature of attachment was concerned. The attachment was disturbed both with parents and peers, but the level of alienation in relations with peers in the group of eating disorder patients was similar to the level in the group of schizophrenic patients. This conclusion allows us to put the group of eating disorders closer to the group of schizophrenic, than neurotic patients, as far as attachment is concerned.

CONCLUSIONS

The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment, used for the first time in Poland, can be seen as a promising instrument in assessing three dimensions of attachment: communication, trust and alienation in relations with parents and peers.