The comparison of attachment styles among people with depression and normal individuals

An important factor that in recent years it has been noted on depression is early experiences with parents in childhood, including the individual's attachment styles. The aim of this study was to compare attachment styles among people with depression and healthy individuals.

The population of depressed patients includes a number of covered patients of psychotherapy clinics in Tehran in 1394 and the normal people include employees of a pharmaceutical company in Tehran in 1394 that 72 depressed patients (after screening) and 72 normal individuals were selected by purposive sampling and answered to General Health by Goldberg (1972), Depression by Beck (1961) and Attachment styles by Collins and Read (1990) Questionnaires. To analysis of data multivariate analysis of variance was used.

The study of the means in the two groups of depressed people and normal people showed that depressed people in compare with normal people in anxious attachment style got higher average scores and in secure attachment style got lower average scores. But two groups did not any significant differences in avoidant attachment style.

On this basis, it was concluded that anxious attachment style could be targeted in the treatment of depressed patients.