| 1. |
- Cassibba, Rosalinda, et al.
(författare)
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Attachment and God representations among lay Catholics, priests, and religious : a matched comparison study based on the Adult Attachment Interview
- 2008
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Ingår i: Developmental Psychology. - : American Psychological Association (APA). - 0012-1649 .- 1939-0599. ; 44:6, s. 1753-1763
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Based on the idea that believers' perceived relationships with God develop from their attachment-related experiences with primary caregivers, the authors explored the quality of such experiences and their representations among individuals who differed in likelihood of experiencing a principal attachment to God. Using the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI), they compared attachment-related experiences and representations in a group of 30 Catholic priests and religious with a matched group of lay Catholics and with the worldwide normal distribution of AAI classifications. They found an overrepresentation of secure-autonomous states regarding attachment among those more likely to experience a principal attachment to God (i.e., the priests and religious) compared with the other groups and an underrepresentation of unresolved-disorganized states in the two groups of Catholics compared with the worldwide normal distribution. Key findings also included links between secure-autonomous states regarding attachment and estimated experiences with loving or nonrejecting parents on the one hand and loving God imagery on the other. These results extend the literature on religion from an attachment perspective and support the idea that generalized working models derived from attachment experiences with parents are reflected in believers' perceptions of God.
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| 2. |
- Cherniak, Aaron, et al.
(författare)
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Perceived attachment history predicts psychedelic experiences : A naturalistic study
- 2024
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Ingår i: Journal of psychedelic studies. - 2559-9283. ; 8:1, s. 82-91
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background and aims: Emerging research indicates that psychedelics may have therapeutic potential by fostering meaningful experiences that act as in fl ection points in people ' s narratives of personal development. However, psychedelic research has largely failed to address pertinent developmental considerations. We investigated whether attachment -related variables were associated with psychedelic experiences and whether psychedelic experiences moderated expected links between perceived attachment history and current adult attachment orientations. Methods: We administered an online survey to an international Jewish sample ( N = 185) with psychedelic experience. The survey included measures about recollection of attachment interactions with parents (perceived attachment history), adult attachment orientations (anxiety, avoidance), and psychedelic phenomenology (mystical experiences, challenging experiences, emotional breakthrough, ego dissolution, sensed presence) associated with respondents ' most memorable psychedelic experiences. Results: Perceptions of an insecure attachment history were positively linked to all measures of psychedelic phenomenology ( r ' s = 0.19 - 32, p ' s mostly < 0.01). In contrast, adult attachment orientations were unrelated to psychedelic phenomenology. Also, psychedelic phenomenology mostly did not moderate the links observed between perceptions of an insecure attachment history and adult attachment orientations. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that perceptions of early attachment experiences may be relevant to psychedelic phenomenology. However, subjective experiences associated with naturalistic psychedelic use do not typically attenuate links between a perceived insecure attachment history and attachment insecurity at present.
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| 3. |
- Cortes, Diana S., et al.
(författare)
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Mixed support for a causal link between single dose intranasal oxytocin and spiritual experiences: opposing effects depending on individual proclivities for absorption
- 2018
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Ingår i: Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1749-5016 .- 1749-5024. ; 13:9, s. 921-932
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Intranasal oxytocin (OT) has previously been found to increase spirituality, an effect moderated by OT-related genotypes. This pre-registered study sought to conceptually replicate and extend those findings. Using a single dose of intranasal OT vs placebo (PL), we investigated experimental treatment effects, and moderation by OT-related genotypes on spirituality, mystical experiences, and the sensed presence of a sentient being. A more exploratory aim was to test for interactions between treatment and the personality disposition absorption on these spirituality-related outcomes. A priming plus sensory deprivation procedure that has facilitated spiritual experiences in previous studies was used. The sample (N = 116) contained both sexes and was drawn from a relatively secular context. Results failed to conceptually replicate both the main effects of treatment and the treatment by genotype interactions on spirituality. Similarly, there were no such effects on mystical experiences or sensed presence. However, the data suggested an interaction between treatment and absorption. Relative to PL, OT seemed to enhance spiritual experiences in participants scoring low in absorption and dampen spirituality in participants scoring high in absorption.
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| 4. |
- Forslund, Tommie, 1983-, et al.
(författare)
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The Heterogeneity of ADHD Symptoms and Conduct Problems : Cognitive Inhibition, Emotion Regulation, Emotionality and Disorganized Attachment
- 2016
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Ingår i: British Journal of Developmental Psychology. - : Wiley. - 0261-510X .- 2044-835X. ; 34:3, s. 371-387
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study examined the contributions of several important domains of functioning to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and conduct problems. Specifically, we investigated whether cognitive inhibition, emotion regulation, emotionality, and disorganized attachment made independent and specific contributions to these externalizing behaviour problems from a multiple pathways perspective. The study included laboratory measures of cognitive inhibition and disorganized attachment in 184 typically developing children (M age = 6 years, 10 months, SD = 1.7). Parental ratings provided measures of emotion regulation, emotionality, and externalizing behaviour problems. Results revealed that cognitive inhibition, regulation of positive emotion, and positive emotionality were independently and specifically related to ADHD symptoms. Disorganized attachment and negative emotionality formed independent and specific relations to conduct problems. Our findings support the multiple pathways perspective on ADHD, with poor regulation of positive emotion and high positive emotionality making distinct contributions to ADHD symptoms. More specifically, our results support the proposal of a temperamentally based pathway to ADHD symptoms. The findings also indicate that disorganized attachment and negative emotionality constitute pathways specific to conduct problems rather than to ADHD symptoms.
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| 5. |
- Granqvist, Pehr, 1973-
(författare)
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Attachment and Religion : An Integrative Developmental Framework
- 2002
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The aim of the thesis was to examine the applicability of attachment theory to adult and adolescent religiosity. Attachment theory is an empirically oriented research paradigm that takes evolutionary theory as the starting point in the study of child-parent relations and their socioemotional correlates in development. The work consisted of two interrelated tasks. First, limitations in theory and research in the psychology of religion, particularly the traditional psychodynamic perspectives, were highlighted, and attachment theory was proposed as an integrative framework to remedy some of those limitations. Second, four empirical studies (I-IV), based on attachment theoretical predictions, were conducted to investigate relations between individual differences in attachment and religiosity. The combined results from the studies suggest the existence of two religiosity profiles in relation to attachment. Both profiles resemble influential descriptions of individual religiosity differences in the psychology of religion literature. The religiosity of individuals in the first profile is similar to their parents' religiosity and is likely to be stable over time. If religious changes have been experienced, these are likely to be gradual, to occur early in life, and in a context pointing to the importance of relationships with religious significant others. Such individuals' God image is likely to be loving, and not distant. It was hypothesized that these religiosity characteristics stern from experiences with sensitive attachment figures in childhood, and that such experiences have promoted partial adoption of the attachment figures' religious standards. The mental representations of attachment resulting from the favorable experiences were suggested to be responsible for a corresponding image of a loving God. The religiosity of individuals in the second profile is independent of parental religiosity, and is likely to fluctuate (increase and decrease) over time. Their religious changes are more sudden and intense, occur relatively later in life, and in a context pointing to an emotionally supportive function for religion. Such individuals' God image is more distant, and less loving. These religiosity characteristics were hypothesized to stem from experiences with insensitive attachment figures in childhood. It was suggested that they reflect an affect regulation strategy to obtain/maintain a sense of felt security, and that God is utilized as a compensatory attachment-like figure in this regard. Findings pertaining to the profiles generally emerged regardless of whether the design was cross-sectional (I-IV) or longitudinal (III); whether participants were adults (I, II, and IV) or adolescents (Study III); and whether attachment was assessed with self-report questionnaires (I-IV) or independent ratings based on a semi-structured interview (IV).
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| 6. |
- Hammarlund, Mårten, 1986-
(författare)
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Neglected ghosts of contested nurseries : The role of interpersonal trauma and psychosocial adversity for caregiving among parents with intellectual disability
- 2023
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Research on the general parent population has established that parental exposure to interpersonal trauma and psychosocial stressors may negatively influence caregiving and children’s development. Research also suggests that parents with intellectual disability (ID) are disproportionally exposed to interpersonal trauma and psychosocial stressors, and that such exposure may contribute to the elevated risk for caregiving and child developmental problems in this population. Conflicting findings have, however, also been reported, and there is no synthesized picture of the prevalence of interpersonal trauma among these parents, or of associated caregiving-related and child developmental outcomes. There is also a scarcity of research addressing these parents’ exposure to interpersonal trauma and psychosocial stressors, in relation to developmentally informed aspects of caregiving and child development. This thesis aims to counter these knowledge gaps. Study I systematically reviewed extant empirical reports on interpersonal trauma among parents with ID, and links with caregiving-related and child developmental outcomes. The review indicated that > 50% of these parents have been exposed to interpersonal trauma. Findings regarding caregiving-related outcomes overall indicated that interpersonal trauma increases caregiving-related risks. Reports on links with child developmental outcomes were scant and inconsistent. Studies II and III present empirical works, focused on parental social-cognitive capacities among mothers with ID. Study II involved a sample of mothers with ID (n = 30), and comparison mothers with ADHD (n = 61), and examined the mothers’ exposure to interpersonal trauma and psychosocial adversity in relation to their capacity for parental mentalizing. Mothers with ID had a heightened risk for mentalizing difficulties, in the form of prementalizing modes of relating to their children. Cumulative interpersonal trauma uniquely predicted prementalizing across groups, whereas psychosocial adversity added to the risk for prementalizing specifically among mothers with ID. Study III involved a second sample of mothers with ID (n = 23) and their children, and socioeconomically matched mothers without ID (n = 25) and their children. This study examined the mothers’ capacity for interpreting infants’ emotions, in relation to the mothers’ exposure to interpersonal trauma, and their children’s attachment. Mothers with ID had a heightened proclivity to misinterpret infants’ emotional expressions as expressions of anger and shame. Shame misinterpretations were also linked with these mothers’ cumulative interpersonal trauma, and with child attachment insecurity and disorganization. An addendum to Study III also addressed the mothers’ psychosocial situation, in relation to maternal sensitivity and the children’s attachment. In both study groups, psychosocial adversity was linked with lower maternal sensitivity. The analysis also suggested that psychosocial adversity contributed to child attachment disorganization specifically among children of mothers with ID. Overall, the thesis points to the importance of acknowledging the parents’ relational history and psychosocial situation, when attempting to understand caregiving-related and child developmental difficulties in families headed by parents with ID. The thesis also outlines important steps for future research, and discusses implications of the findings for practitioners and policy-makers.
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| 7. |
- Hammarlund, Mårten, 1986-, et al.
(författare)
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Parental mentalising among mothers with intellectual disability or ADHD : Links with experiences of abuse, neglect and psychosocial risk
- 2023
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Ingår i: JARID. - 1360-2322 .- 1468-3148. ; 36:6, s. 1206-1217
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Parental mentalising difficulties are robustly linked to caregiving problems. Mothers with intellectual disability are at risk for caregiving problems, but knowledge on their parental mentalising abilities is lacking. The present study aimed to fill this gap.Method: Thirty mothers with mild intellectual disability, and 61 comparison mothers with ADHD, were assessed for parental mentalising using the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire. Contributions of intellectual disability, maternal exposure to childhood abuse/neglect and psychosocial risk to parental mentalising were examined through hierarchical regression analysis.Results: Mothers with intellectual disability had a heightened risk for parental mentalising difficulties, in the form of elevated prementalising. Intellectual disability and cumulative childhood abuse/neglect uniquely predicted prementalising among the mothers, whereas cumulative psychosocial risk added to the risk for prementalising specifically among mothers with intellectual disability.Conclusions: Our findings support contextual models of caregiving, and suggest a need for mentalisation-based support for parents with mild intellectual disability.
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| 8. |
- Lehmivaara, Jörgen, et al.
(författare)
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Attachment and socialized religion within the Læstadian revival movement
- 2023
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Ingår i: Nordic Psychology. - : Taylor & Francis Group. - 1901-2276 .- 1904-0016.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The present questionnaire study examined attachment-religion connections among 175 believers within the Læstadian revival movement (Lutheran) in Sweden and Finland. Corroborating previous research findings from other religious populations, our findings strongly supported the idea that attachment security (i.e. positive, non-defensive representations of self and others) facilitates the intergenerational transmission of religion from parents to offspring (the socialized correspondence hypothesis) in families within the Læstadian revival movement. Extending previous research, attachment security was also linked to the adoption and transmission of the congregation’s religious standards and to perceived religious support from the congregation. Results pertaining to religion-as-compensation for attachment-related insecurity (the compensation hypothesis) were generally mixed, perhaps due to particularities of Læstadian faith.
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| 9. |
- Visuri, Ingela, 1976-
(författare)
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Varieties of Supernatural Experience : the Case of High-Functioning Autism
- 2019
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- It is argued in the cognitive science of religion (CSR) that the empathic ability to ‘mindread’ others underpins the experience of supernatural communication with gods, ghosts, and spirits. As autism is characterized by mentalizing difficulties, CSR scholars have expected autistic individuals would find supernatural agency incomprehensible. This thesis however turns the question around: why do autistic individuals engage intimately in supernatural relations, despite the social difficulties they face in everyday life?The thesis aims to provide new insights on autistic and religious cognition through examination of supernatural descriptions provided by 17 young, high-functioning autistic adults (16–21 years of age) who label themselves as ‘religious’ or ‘spiritual’. The research questions explore: (1) cognitive aspects of experienced interaction with invisible agents, compared with human interaction, (2) the prevalence of unusual embodied experiences (e.g. feeling touch and seeing visions without external input) and its role in attributions of supernatural agency, and (3) the psychological function of parasocial (fiction-based) interaction in imaginary realms.This interdisciplinary project draws on work undertaken in the cognitive science of religion, cognitive and critical autism research, and psychological anthropology. Mixed qualitative and quantitative methods are employed to enable a kaleidoscopic outlook on the topics explored, and to promote a dialogue between idiographically and nomothetically oriented scholars. The study provides first-person perspectives on religious and autistic cognition, which is understood as dynamic interaction between embrained, embodied, encultured and situated input.It is argued in Publication I that ‘bodiless’ interaction facilitates mentalizing, also in relation to invisible agents, as no cross-modal synchronization of mimicry, body language and intonation is required. Publication II examines the prevalence of unusual, embodied experiences in autism, and it is proposed that supernatural attributions offer enchantment and sense-making of potentially frightening experiences. Results from Publication III suggest that imaginary worlds and parasocial relations function as ‘simulators’ that autistic individuals use to rehearse social interaction. Publication IV offers a theoretical and methodological discussion regarding the study of atypical cognition. Importantly, this thesis illustrates that these imaginative autistic participants are not drawn to supernatural frame- works in spite of, but because of the supernatural and parasocial characters these provide.
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