Key result
Individuals with a Disorganized attachment pattern showed a sustained increase in vagally-mediated heart rate variability during and after the Adult Attachment Interview, whereas those with an Organized pattern exhibited a typical decrease during the interview and subsequent recovery.
Why the study?
Internal Working Models of attachment modulate emotional responses and the Disorganized pattern features breakdown of regulation, but vmHRV responses during attachment memory recall remained to be investigated.
Does the recall of attachment memories via the Adult Attachment Interview affect vagally-mediated heart rate variability differently in adults with Organized versus Disorganized attachment patterns?
Observational (n=59)
No
Does the recall of attachment memories via the Adult Attachment Interview affect vagally-mediated heart rate variability differently in adults with Organized versus Disorganized attachment patterns?
Individuals with Disorganized attachment exhibit a sustained increase in vagally-mediated heart rate variability during and after the recall of attachment memories, suggesting effortful emotion regulation compared to the adaptive parasympathetic withdrawal seen in Organized attachment.
Suggests attachment-specific vagal responses to interview stress; leaves open clinical relevance and requires prospective validation.
Internal Working Models of the attachment system modulate emotional responses and the Disorganized attachment pattern is characterized by the breakdown of such regulation. Vagally-mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) is an index of flexible emotional responding. This study investigated vmHRV in non-clinical adults with an Organized or Disorganized attachment pattern before, during, and after the recall of attachment memories via the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI). Whereas the Organized group exhibited a typical decrease in vmHRV during the AAI and asubsequent return to a baseline-like pattern, the Disorganized group unexpectedly showed a sustained increase in vmHRV during the AAI which also persisted during the recovery phase. Results suggest that while Organized face the recollection of attachment memories by showing the adaptive stress response characterized by parasympathetic withdrawal and immediate recovery, individuals with Disorganized attachment need to keep regulating their emotions effortfully both during and after the recall of potential traumatic events.
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Zingaretti et al. (2019) conducted an observational in Attachment Patterns (Organized vs. Disorganized) (n=59). Disorganized attachment pattern vs. Organized attachment pattern was evaluated on Change in vagally-mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) across baseline, interview, and recovery (Time x Group interaction) (F(2, 56) = 3.74, p=0.03). Individuals with a Disorganized attachment pattern showed a sustained increase in vagally-mediated heart rate variability during and after the Adult Attachment Interview, whereas those with an Organized pattern exhibited a typical decrease during the interview and subsequent recovery.
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