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Attachment problems and depressive symptomatology in cardiac rehabilitation patients

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International Journal of Rehabilitation and Health

Abstract

One hundred fifty-nine adults in a cardiac rehabilitation clinic participated in a study investigating the association of attachment styles with depressive symptomatology. We assessed attachment style using the Reciprocal Attachment Questionnaire and assessed depressive symptomatology using the Symptom Checklist-90-R. Depressed cardiac rehabilitation participants of both genders reported an anxious style of attachment, characterized by intense care seeking in relation to their attachment figures and generalized anger toward their attachment figures. The findings extend previous reports, which indicate that the quality of the marital relationship is a critical variable in determining cardiac rehabilitation patients' adjustments and suggest that assessment of attachment styles can enhance specificity of description in this area.

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Rose, M.S., West, M. Attachment problems and depressive symptomatology in cardiac rehabilitation patients. Int J Rehab Health 2, 113–124 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02213446

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