TY - JOUR

T1 - Correlates of self-rated attachment in cancer patients and their caregivers

T2 - a systematic review and meta-analysis

AU - Nissen, Kathrine Grovn

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - Background: This study aimed to evaluate the association between an anxious/avoidant attachmentstyle and psychosocial variables in patients with cancer and their caregivers.Methods: PsycINFO, PubMed, Google Scholar, and SCOPUS were searched for empirical studiespublished in peer-reviewed journals between 1994 and 2015, and unpublished data from one cohortwere added. Meta-analyses synthesized results from studies investigating the correlates of attachmentstyles, measured with validated scales, among patients with cancer or their caregivers.Results: Thirteen studies (k = 13) were included in the quantitative synthesis (including unpublisheddata from one cohort). Anxious attachment was associated with depression (r = 0.29, CI 0.19–0.38,I2= 76%), anxiety (r = 0.34, CI 0.13–0.52, I2= 69%), and social support (r = 0.39, CI 0.55–0.21,I2= 87%). Avoidant attachment was associated with depressive symptoms (r = 0.20, CI 0.15–0.25,I2= 16%), anxiety (r = 0.13, CI 0.01–0.24, I2= 4%), and social support (r = 0.28, CI 0.42–0.14,I2= 75%).Conclusions: Patients with cancer and their caregivers showing high levels of insecure attachmentare at risk of experiencing higher levels of depressive symptoms, anxiety, and poor social support.Findings suggest that clinicians’ awareness of attachment styles may serve as important clinicalinsight to improve treatment outcomes. Large-scale studies and longitudinal studies are required toinvestigate distinct longitudinal pathways in cancer-related distress across different attachment styles

AB - Background: This study aimed to evaluate the association between an anxious/avoidant attachmentstyle and psychosocial variables in patients with cancer and their caregivers.Methods: PsycINFO, PubMed, Google Scholar, and SCOPUS were searched for empirical studiespublished in peer-reviewed journals between 1994 and 2015, and unpublished data from one cohortwere added. Meta-analyses synthesized results from studies investigating the correlates of attachmentstyles, measured with validated scales, among patients with cancer or their caregivers.Results: Thirteen studies (k = 13) were included in the quantitative synthesis (including unpublisheddata from one cohort). Anxious attachment was associated with depression (r = 0.29, CI 0.19–0.38,I2= 76%), anxiety (r = 0.34, CI 0.13–0.52, I2= 69%), and social support (r = 0.39, CI 0.55–0.21,I2= 87%). Avoidant attachment was associated with depressive symptoms (r = 0.20, CI 0.15–0.25,I2= 16%), anxiety (r = 0.13, CI 0.01–0.24, I2= 4%), and social support (r = 0.28, CI 0.42–0.14,I2= 75%).Conclusions: Patients with cancer and their caregivers showing high levels of insecure attachmentare at risk of experiencing higher levels of depressive symptoms, anxiety, and poor social support.Findings suggest that clinicians’ awareness of attachment styles may serve as important clinicalinsight to improve treatment outcomes. Large-scale studies and longitudinal studies are required toinvestigate distinct longitudinal pathways in cancer-related distress across different attachment styles

KW - Faculty of Social Sciences

U2 - 10.1002/pon.4057

DO - 10.1002/pon.4057

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 26763738

VL - 25

SP - 1017

EP - 1027

JO - Psycho-Oncology

JF - Psycho-Oncology

SN - 1057-9249

ER -