Adult Attachment And Alexithymia Of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Objective To explore the type of adult attachment and the degree of alexithymia in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder(OCD)and their relationship.Methods 35 OCD patients and 35 normal controls(NC)were investigated using the Intimate Relationship Experience Scale(ECR)and the Toronto Alexithymia 20-item Scale(TAS-20).Results(1)The attachment avoidance score and attachment anxiety score of the OCD group(3.78±0.97,4.20±1.22)were higher than those of the NC group(2.77±0.53,3.05±0.54),and the differences were statistically significant(t=5.396,P<0.05;t=5.103,P<0.05).(2)The proportion of unsafe attachment type in the OCD group was91.43%,which was higher than that in the NC group(37.14%).The difference between the two was statistically significant(?~2=20.160,p<0.05).22.86%,fear type 45.71%.(3)The total score of TAS-20(56.83±9.24),inability to distinguish between emotions(21.34±5.86),and inability to describe emotional factors(14.31±3.49)in the OCD group were higher than those in the NC group(46.89±3.56,15.43±2.58,10.03).±1.42),and the difference was statistically significant(t=5.938,P<0.05;t=5.464,P<0.05;t=6.730,P<0.05).(4)In the OCD group,there was a positive correlation between attachment avoidance and inability to distinguish between emotions and emotional description(r=0.363?0.360,P<0.05).There was a positive correlation between attachment anxiety and inability to identify emotions(r=0.383,P<0.05).Conclusion obsessive-compulsive disorder patients are predominantly insecure attachment and have alexithymia.