Stress revisited : exploring the role of attachment in the etiology of stress vulnerability and perceived stress

Resource Information

The work Stress revisited : exploring the role of attachment in the etiology of stress vulnerability and perceived stress represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in University of Missouri-Kansas City Libraries. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Language Material, http://bibfra.me/vocab/marc/Manuscript, Books.

Label

Stress revisited : exploring the role of attachment in the etiology of stress vulnerability and perceived stress

Title remainder

exploring the role of attachment in the etiology of stress vulnerability and perceived stress

Statement of responsibility

by Mary Jane Harmless

Creator

• Harmless, Mary Jane, 1956-

Contributor

• Sheridan, Charles L., 1937-

Thesis advisor

• Sheridan, Charles L., 1937-

Subject

• Electronic bookss
• Dissertation -- University of Missouri--Kansas City -- Counseling psychology
• Electronic books
• Electronic dissertations
• Attachment behavior

Genre

• Electronic books
• Electronic bookss
• Electronic dissertations

Language

eng

Summary

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of attachment theory as providing an organizational framework for understanding the origins of individuals' vulnerability to stress, and thus their perception of stress in relation to actual stressful life events experienced. Two hundred fifty-six residential college freshmen from two co-educational Midwestern universities were assessed on a measure of attachment styles, reflecting the secure, anxious-ambivalent, and avoidant categories identified by Ainsworth, as well as measures of stress vulnerability, perceived stress, and life event change. The present investigation thus explored quality of attachment as specifically influential in the development of stress vulnerability, viewed as a predispositional characteristic of individuals; as having an impact on the way a person characteristically perceives, interprets and responds to life experience, and stressors encountered therein. Results related to life event change found securely attached individuals to exhibit the lowest levels of stress vulnerability and perceived stress, as predicted. However, although anxious-ambivalent students were anticipated to demonstrate the highest levels of stress vulnerability and perceived stress they did not emerge as significantly different from avoidant students regarding these variables. Avoidantly attached students, while expected to exhibit high levels of stress vulnerability, were predicted to perceive their current stress level as lower than that of anxious-ambivalent students, a finding not substantiated by the data. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for theory, research and practice. In this regard, the identified relationships between attachment, perceived stress, and stress vulnerability variables are seen as potentially opening new avenues for stress prevention and intervention by providing grounding for preventive efforts put toward further educating parents about long-term effects of early parent-child relationships. Stress interventions are also discussed in terms of being directed at amelioration of identified "attachment disorders," at any point throughout the life span

Additional physical form

Available also in paper and microfiche.

Cataloging source

UMK

Dissertation note

Thesis (Ph. D.)--School of Education. University of Missouri--Kansas City, 1996.

Index

no index present

Literary form

non fiction

Nature of contents

bibliography