Attachment Style, Therapeutic Alliance and Recovery (A-STAR Study) 2.2
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Attachment Style, Therapeutic Alliance and Recovery in forensic mental health (A-STAR Study)
IRAS ID
183658
Contact name
Andrew Gumley
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 14 days
Research summary
Background: Attachment theory, proposed by John Bowlby(1950s), provided a framework to understand the importance of relationships across the lifespan. Through experiences of relationships we develop an attachment style which influences how we form and maintain relationships, cope with life events and cope with emotional distress. Attachment styles characterised by greater anxiety about relationships or greater avoidance of relationships are linked to more relationship problems and an increased risk of mental health problems. Amongst service users insecure attachment styles are associated with more difficulties in relationships with caregivers and poorer engagement with mental health services (Berry et al, 2007).
Amongst forensic mental health service users, there is an increased rate of insecure attachment styles. As quality of relationships is important for recovery, a focus on attachment style in forensic mental health may be a helpful approach to promoting recovery. Therefore attachment theory is a useful framework for enhancing staff-service user relationships (Adshead, 1998). An important step towards achieving this is to explore whether service users and staff agree about service users’ attachment style.Aims: This study aims to a) determine if there is a relationship between service user and staff ratings of service users’ attachment style and b) examine associations between service users’ attachment style, their attachment to services, their ratings of the therapeutic alliance, their perception of the ward climate and their experience of recovery.
Methods: This study will employ a cross sectional correlational design. Forensic mental health service users and their keyworkers in low and medium secure hospitals in NHS GG&C who give their informed written consent will be recruited. Questionnaire measures, including self report and keyworker measures of participant attachment styles and self report aspects of recovery will be used.
Implications: This study will identify to what extent staff and service users agree about service users attachment style. This is an important step towards developing attachment informed approaches to enhancing staff-service user relationships as a means to promote recovery.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 3
REC reference
15/WS/0198
Date of REC Opinion
15 Dec 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion