The Relationship of Adult Attachment Theory and Affect Regulation Strategies to Depression

Abstract

According to the attachment theory which is also known as an affect regulation theory, internal working models that are constituted by the interaction between primary care giver and infant in the early period of life. These working models plays an important role how the infant gives a meaning to the world and himself/ herself and it determines the individual's personality development and by the way the probable psychopathologies that can be observed in the future like depression. In relation with this, many of the empirical studies in the adult literature states on how internal models and cognitive representations have an influence on emotional reactions. According to various studies, reporting different attachment styles and individuals who has probably different internal models, differs in each others' emotional reactions and how they behave according to these reactions. In view of attachment literature, individual makes a decision in terms of making affect regulation for maintaining proximity seeking and this process evokes the activation of secondary attachment strategies which are named as hyper and deactivating strategies. From the framework of this review, the relationship between major depression and adult attachment styles, affect regulation strategies is examined. Firstly, Bowlby's attachment theory is mentioned shortly and adult attachment styles are introduced. Secondly, affect regulation strategies, which are thought to be related with major depression as a mood disorder are identified and finally, the empirical research findings relevant to the topic are represented.

Keywords

• Adult Attachment Theory, Affect Regulation Strategies, Major Depression

Yetişkin Bağlanma Kuramı ve Duygulanım Düzenleme Stratejilerinin Depresyonla İlişkisi

Öz

Bir duygulanım düzenleme kuramı olarak da kabul edilen bağlanma kuramına göre, erken dönemdeki temel bakım veren ve bebek arasındaki etkileşim yoluyla oluşan içsel çalışan modeller, kişinin kendini ve dünyayı nasıl anlamlandıracağı üzerinde etkili olmakta ve dolayısıyla bireyin kişilik gelişimi ve bu doğrultuda ileride gelişebilecek depresyon gibi olası psikopatolojiler üzerinde bir belirleyiciliğe sahip olmaktadır. Bununla bağlantılı olarak yetişkin literatüründeki çoğu görgül çalışma, içsel modellerin ve bilişsel temsillerin duygusal tepkileri nasıl etkilediği sorusu üzerinde durmaktadır. Değişik çalışma sonuçlarına göre, farklı bağlanma biçimleri rapor eden ve muhtemelen altta yatan farklı içsel modellere sahip olan bireyler, duygusal tepkisellikleri ve bu duygular doğrultusunda ne yaptıkları konusunda birbirlerinden farklılaşmaktadırlar. Bağlanma literatürüne göre kişi, duygulanım düzenlemesi yapabilmek için yakınlık arayışını sürdürüp sürdürmemesi gerektiğine karar verir ve bu durum aşırı harekete geçirici stratejiler ve hareketsiz hale getirici stratejiler olarak adlandırılan ikincil bağlanma stratejilerinin aktive olmasına yol açar. Bu gözden geçirme makalesi çerçevesinde, yetişkin bağlanma biçimleri ve duygulanım düzenleme stratejilerinin majör depresyonla olan ilişkisine yer verilmektedir. Bu doğrultuda öncelikle Bowlby'nin bağlanma kuramına kısaca değinilmekte ve yetişkin bağlanma biçimleri tanıtılmaktadır. Ardından, bir duygudurum bozukluğu olan majör depresyon ile ilişkili olduğu düşünülen duygulanım düzenleme stratejilerine yer verilmekte ve son olarak konuyla ilişkili olan görgül araştırma bulguları sunulmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Yetişkin Bağlanma Kuramı, Duygulanım Düzenleme Stratejileri, Majör Depresyon

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