Attachment Styles and Somatic Symptoms in Divorced Women: The Mediating Role of Anxiety and Depression
Downloads
Objective: This study investigates the structural relationships between adult attachment styles and somatic symptoms, with anxiety and depression as potential mediators, among recently divorced women. To examine whether anxiety and depression mediate the relationship between attachment styles (secure, avoidant, ambivalent) and somatic symptoms in divorced women.
Methods and Materials: A correlational study using structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted. The sample included 426 divorced women in Tehran, separated within the last three years, selected via convenience sampling. Participants completed the Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, Collins and Read Attachment Styles Questionnaire, and Takata and Sakata Psychosomatic Complaints Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS (v26) and AMOS software.
Findings: Secure attachment negatively correlated with somatic symptoms, anxiety, and depression, while avoidant and ambivalent attachment styles showed significant positive associations. SEM results indicated a good model fit (RMSEA = 0.057; CFI = 0.855), supporting the hypothesis that anxiety and depression significantly mediate the relationship between insecure attachment styles and somatic symptoms.
Conclusion: Insecure attachment styles, particularly ambivalent attachment, increase vulnerability to somatic symptoms through elevated anxiety and depression. The findings highlight the psychological roots of somatic complaints and suggest the importance of addressing attachment patterns and emotional health in interventions for divorced women.
Downloads
Buka, S. L., Beers, L. S., Biel, M. G., Counts, N. Z., Hudziak, J., Parade, S. H., & Drury, S. S. (2022). The Family Is The Patient: Promoting Early Childhood Mental Health In Pediatric Care. Pediatrics, 149(5), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2021-053509L
Dadsetan, P. (2022). Developmental Morbid Psychology. Samt. https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/1986-19563-001.html
Dalgleish, T., Black, M., Johnston, D., & Bevan, A. (2020). Transdiagnostic Approaches To Mental Health Problems: Current Status And Future Directions. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 88(3), 179. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000482
Davoudi-Monfared, E., Radfar, S., Mohseny, M., & Hosseini-Dastjerdi, Z. S. (2023). The Relationship between Coping Strategies and Quality of Life in Women with Breast Cancer : Coping strategies and QOL in women with breast cancer. International Journal of Body, Mind and Culture, 10(2), 198-206. https://doi.org/10.22122/ijbmc.v10i2.402
Firouz, H., Sepehr, V., Sharifi, Z., & Hosseinie, F. (2023). Investigating The Relationship Between The Severity Of Depression And Demographic Characteristics In Patients With Atopic Dermatitis In 2019JO - Cpr. 1(2), 216-227. https://doi.org/10.32598/Cpr.1.2.82.1
Giannotta, F. (2022). Among The Swedish Generation Of Adolescents Who Experience An Increased Trend Of Psychosomatic Symptoms. Do They Develop Depression And/Or Anxiety Disorders As They Grow Older? BMC psychiatry, 22, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-04432-x
Kiani, A., Navabinejad, S., Ahmadi, K., & Taghvaei, D. P. Y. (2021). Super-Compositional Factors Strengthening And Endangering Marriage In The Recent Decade In Iran. QJCR, 20(77), 4-37. https://doi.org/10.18502/qjcr.v20i77.6133
Kupfer, D. J. (2022). Anxiety And Dsm-5. https://doi.org/10.31887/Dcns.2015.17.3/Dkupfer
Li, X., Zhou, N., Fang, X., & Cao, H. (2020). Marital Conflict Resolution And Marital Affection In Chinese Marriage: Integrating Variable-Centered And Person-Centered Approaches. Marriage & Family Review, 56(4), 369-389. https://doi.org/10.1080/01494929.2020.1712575
Lysova, A., Hanson, K., Dixon, L., Douglas, E. M., Hines, D. A., & Celi, E. M. (2022). Internal And External Barriers To Help Seeking: Voices Of Men Who Experienced Abuse In The Intimate Relationships. International journal of offender therapy and comparative criminology, 66(5), 538-559. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X20919710
Ramazani, S., Aramjoo, H., Hajipoor, R., Ramazani, A., & Naseri, M. (2020). Survey Of Stress, Anxiety And Depression In Paramedical Students Of Birjand University Of Medical Sciences. Horizon of Medical Education Development, 11(1), 5-14. https://hmed.mums.ac.ir/article_16403_en.html?lang=en
Ranjbari, T., Basharat Mohammad, A., & Pourhossein, R. (2019). The Prediction Of Anxiety And Depression Symptoms Based On Attachment Pathologies. Rooyesh, 8(1), 77-86. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/da.21953
Razazan, S. (2025). The Role of Psychological Flexibility, Resilience, Self-Efficacy, and Hope in Predicting Marital Satisfaction of Married Women. Ijbmc, 12(1), 78-89. https://doi.org/10.61838/ijbmc.v12i1.741
Sadock, B., Sadock, V., & Roniz, P. (2022). Kaplan And Sadock's Synopsis Of Psychiatry. Arjamand. https://www.psychiatrist.com/read-pdf/11671/
Sadri Damirchi, E., Nosrati Begzadeh, M., & Ebadirad, M. (2018). The Relationship Between Attachment Styles With Depression, Anxiety And Stress In Students. Rooyesh, 7(9), 291-308. https://frooyesh.ir/browse.php?a_id=771&sid=1&slc_lang=en
Sagone, E., Commodari, E., Indiana, M. L., & La Rosa, V. L. (2023). Exploring The Association Between Attachment Style, Psychological Well-Being, And Relationship Status In Young Adults And Adults-A Cross-Sectional Study. Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ, 13, 525-539. https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe13030040
Salari, P., Nayebi-Niya, A., Modarres Gharavi, M., Vahid-Roudsari, F., & Jabbari Nooghani, H. (2012). Surveying The Relationship Between Adult Attachment Style To Parents With Female Sexual FunctionJO - Journal Of Fundamentals Of Mental Health. 13(4), 346-355. https://jfmh.mums.ac.ir/article_923_en.html
Sarhammami, A. P., Neudehi, M. F., Bouzari, B., Ramezani, N., & Zekri, F. A. (2024). Investigating the Effect of Emotional Intelligence and Moral Intelligence on Marital Satisfaction Among Married Students. Ijbmc, 11(6), 115-122. https://doi.org/10.61838/rmdn.ijbmc.11.6.14
Shabbeh, Z., Feizi, A., Afshar, H., Hassanzade Kashtali, A., & Adibi, P. (2016). Identifying The Profiles Of Psychosomatic Disorders In An Iranian Adult Population And Their Relation To Psychological Problems. J Mazandaran Univ Med Sci, 26(137), 82-94. http://jmums.mazums.ac.ir/article-1-7714-en.html
Van Loenen, I., Willemijn, S., Anna, M., Johannes, S., & Neeltje, B. (2022). The Effectiveness Of Virtual Reality Exposure-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Severe Anxiety Disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Meta-Analysis. Journal of medical Internet research, 24(2), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.2196/26736
Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal of Body, Mind and Culture
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
