The correlation of attachment styles with self-actualization in Psychotherapist in Tehran

ABSTRACT Introduction Anxiety is central to the psychotherapy process, yet psychotherapists routinely infer a client's anxiety intensity from observable behaviour rather than from formal measurement, with no widely accepted framework to organise which observable markers indicate which levels of anxiety. This exploratory study examined how therapists make such classifications. Method Ninety‐one mental health professionals were randomly assigned to classify 41 text‐described behavioural and physiological markers using either a 5‐level or a simplified 3‐level category system, both derived from an integrated model of state anxiety in psychotherapy. Results Response distributions departed significantly from uniformity for nearly all markers in both formats, and the rank ordering of markers by intensity was highly consistent across formats, suggesting that therapists may share broad intuitions about relative marker intensity. Which markers elicited agreement, however, was far less reproducible, depending substantially on the response format. Convergence also depended on where the agreement criterion was set, declining from 90.2% to 51.2% of markers in the 3‐level format and from 63.4% to 22.0% in the 5‐level format as the criterion rose from > 0.50 to > 0.70. The 3‐level format yielded more classifiable markers at every criterion, although this advantage was not consistent across indices, whereas the 5‐level format elicited fewer ‘Insufficient to Determine’ responses. Markers placed at the highest intensity levels were classified most consistently. Discussion These findings offer preliminary groundwork for research on marker operationalisation, contextualised rating tasks and the development of training materials for psychotherapy process research.

This study examines adult romantic attachment among university students, focusing on attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance. A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional design was used, involving 50 students aged 18 to 28 years. Data were collected through an online questionnaire using the 12-item Experiences in Close Relationships?Short Form (ECR-S). The results showed moderate attachment anxiety (M = 3.78, SD = 1.03) and low-to-moderate attachment avoidance (M = 3.16, SD = 0.90). A weak positive correlation was observed between the two dimensions (r = .16, p = .264), but the relationship was not statistically significant. Exploratory analysis identified a statistically significant difference in attachment avoidance across years of study, while the observed gender difference in attachment anxiety was not statistically significant. These demographic findings require cautious interpretation because of the small subgroup sizes. Overall, participants reported greater concern about rejection than discomfort with emotional closeness. The findings support examining attachment anxiety and avoidance as distinct dimensions of romantic attachment. However, the small convenience sample, reliance on self-reported responses, and cross-sectional design limit the generalisability of the results. Further research involving larger and more diverse student populations is recommended to examine attachment patterns and their relationship with demographic and interpersonal factors.

This study explored attachment-related responses and self-reported relationship experiences among adults. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was conducted using an online questionnaire; the supplied response file contained 57 records. The questionnaire included demographic questions, 12 attachment-related statements, six relationship-experience statements, and an optional open-ended question about healthy relationships. Descriptive statistics were calculated. For exploratory analysis, four items concerning fear of rejection and reassurance were averaged into an anxiety-related index, and four items concerning emotional disclosure, closeness, and independence were averaged into an avoidance-related index. These researcher-created indices are not validated psychological scales. Spearman rank correlations were used to examine associations with relationship-experience ratings. The six-item relationship-experience composite had a mean of 3.65 on a 1-5 scale. The anxiety-related index was positively associated with the composite (ρ = .315, p = .017), as was the avoidance-related index (ρ = .430, p = .001), contrary to the initially anticipated negative direction. Since the items were not validated, no reverse-scoring was applied, and the sample was a convenience sample with uneven demographic representation, these findings must be interpreted cautiously. They do not establish causation or justify classifying individuals by attachment style.

Abstract Background Repetitive negative thinking (RNT) is a transdiagnostic process relevant to common mental health problems in primary care. RNT-ACT is a brief acceptance and commitment therapy-based protocol targeting RNT in two sessions. This pilot study assessed the feasibility of RNT-ACT compared with therapist-supported internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) in Swedish primary care. Methods Thirteen participants were randomised: 7 to RNT-ACT and 6 to iCBT. The primary feasibility outcomes were recruitment rate, intervention non-completion, and patient satisfaction measured with the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8). Symptom and process measures were secondary outcomes. Secondary outcomes were assessed at baseline and at 1- and 3-month follow-ups. Analyses were descriptive and exploratory, based on available observations without imputation of missing data. Results Thirteen of 20 eligible individuals were enrolled (65%), corresponding to 35% of all 37 individuals screened. All participants in the RNT-ACT group completed the intervention, whereas 4 of 6 participants in the iCBT group did not complete the intervention. Mean CSQ-8 scores were 27.8 (SD 3.7; n = 5) in the RNT-ACT group and 23.0 (SD 0.0; n = 2) in the iCBT group. Conclusions The small sample size and high iCBT non-completion limit between-group comparisons. Further investigation of recruitment, treatment engagement, and patient and therapist experiences is needed before determining whether and how to proceed to a full-scale RCT. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05946382 registered July 14, 2023.

This study examined the influence of attachment style on fear of intimacy among emerging adults aged 18–25 years. A quantitative approach involved 152 participants who were currently or had previously been in romantic relationships, recruited through convenience sampling. Data were collected using the Experiences in Close Relationships–Revised (ECR-R) and Fear of Intimacy Scale (FIS). Linear regression analysis showed that insecure attachment significantly predicted fear of intimacy (β = 0.570, p < .001). Both attachment avoidance (β = 0.432, p < .001) and attachment anxiety (β = 0.368, p < .001) were significant predictors, with avoidance showing a stronger association. These findings suggest that discomfort with emotional closeness and anxiety in romantic relationships are associated with greater fear of intimacy. The results highlight the potential value of psychological interventions that support emerging adults in developing safer and healthier romantic relationships.