Gander Manuela, Buchheim Anna, Kohlböck Gabriele, Sevecke Kathrin
University of Innsbruck, Institute of Psychology, Innsbruck, Austria.
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Tirol Kliniken, Hall in Tirol, Austria.
Dev Psychopathol. 2025 Feb;37(1):429-438. doi: 10.1017/S0954579424000014. Epub 2024 Feb 2.
This study examined the severity of unresolved attachment underlying adolescent identity diffusion. Our sample consisted of 180 inpatient adolescents aged 14 to 18 years (77% female, = 15.13, = 1.35; 23% male, = 14.85, = 1.41) and 84 age-matched non-clinical adolescents (52% female, = 16.14, = 1.21; 48% males, = 15.98, = 1.07). We used the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP) interview to assess attachment representations and the Assessment of Identity Development in Adolescence (AIDA) questionnaire to evaluate the severity of identity diffusion. Our results demonstrate a higher amount of unresolved attachment and identity diffusion in the patient sample than in the control sample. Furthermore, patients with an unresolved attachment status scored higher on identity diffusion than those with no unresolved attachment pattern. Interestingly, this was not found in the control group. Furthermore, patients with a greater severity of unresolved attachment showed the highest maladaptive identity development scores. Psychotherapeutic interventions integrating attachment-related aspects might be useful to treat young people with identity diffusion.
本研究考察了青少年身份认同弥散背后未解决的依恋问题的严重程度。我们的样本包括180名年龄在14至18岁的住院青少年（77%为女性，平均年龄 = 15.13，标准差 = 1.35；23%为男性，平均年龄 = 14.85，标准差 = 1.41）以及84名年龄匹配的非临床青少年（52%为女性，平均年龄 = 16.14，标准差 = 1.21；48%为男性，平均年龄 = 15.98，标准差 = 1.07）。我们使用成人依恋投射图片系统（AAP）访谈来评估依恋表征，并使用青少年身份发展评估（AIDA）问卷来评估身份认同弥散的严重程度。我们的结果表明，患者样本中未解决的依恋和身份认同弥散的程度高于对照组样本。此外，处于未解决依恋状态的患者在身份认同弥散方面的得分高于没有未解决依恋模式的患者。有趣的是，在对照组中未发现这种情况。此外，未解决依恋问题更严重的患者表现出最高的适应不良身份发展得分。整合与依恋相关方面的心理治疗干预可能有助于治疗身份认同弥散的年轻人。
