A Study on Adult Attachment and Defense Style of Depression Patients

Objective:To study the defense style and adult attachment of depression patient and the psychopathology of depression by adult attachment theory.Methods:Fifty depression patients were accessed with Experiences in Close Relationships Scale and Defensive style Questionnaire,which were compared with sixty normal controls.Results:(1)The score of attachment anxiety dimension in the depression group was higher than that of the control group(80.30±18.76,65.35±17.01,P0.005).The score in attachment avoidance in depression was higher than that of the control group(60.32±16.08,52.05±14.53,P0.05).(2)The score of immature defense mechanism(141.6±36.19,105.52±29.60,P0.005)and intermediate defense mechanism in depression group was higher than that of the control group(186.92±26.41,173.15±31.16,P0.05).(3)The attachment anxiety dimension and avoidance dimension were both positively correlated with the immature defense style(r=0.480,P0.005,r=0.483,P0.005)and the intermediate defense style(r=0.423,P0.005,r=0.353,P0.05)and in the control group.(4)The attachment anxiety dimension was positively correlated with the immature defense style(r=0.588,P0.005)and the intermediate defense style(r=0.497,P0.005)in the depression group.Conclusion:The attachment style was highly anxiety in the depression group,and the depression patients mostly used immature and intermediate defense style.The immature defense style and intermediate defense style were positively correlated with the attachment anxiety dimension.The unsafe attachment style may be the major influence factor in the process of depression.