The relationship between adult attachment representations, emotion regulation and social anxiety

Abstract

Vertue (2003) wrote a theoretical paper arguing that existing theories of social anxiety disorder can be united by attachment theory.  However, more recent research has indicated the possibility of deficits in emotion regulation abilities being involved in social anxiety disorder (Turk, Heimberg, Luterek, Mennin & Fresco, 2005).  In the literature review it is proposed that attachment theory can explain and integrate these new findings that social anxiety disorder may be associated with deficits in emotion regulation abilities.  It is concluded that attachment theory provides a good theoretical understanding of why people may develop deficits in emotion regulation abilities and develop social anxiety disorder.  However, attachment theory may not be the only pathway to the development of the disorder.  In the empirical paper, the relative impact of attachment representations and emotion regulation on social anxiety are examined.  A measure of personality was used as a control variable.  It is concluded that whilst attachment representations may be important in social anxiety, personality and emotion regulation abilities may be more predictive of someone developing social anxiety.  Thus, it is argued that emotion regulation abilities need to be considered in the theoretical models of social anxiety.

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