Development of an intervention method to boost attachment security in individuals who have adverse childhood experiences and an evaluation scale for the effectiveness

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K20310
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0110:Psychology and related fields
• Research Institution: International Pacific University
• Principal Investigator: Nakai Kazuya 環太平洋大学, 次世代教育学部, 講師 (10908651)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-08-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 愛着 / 小児期逆境経験 / 安全感のプライミング / J-SAAM

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to develop a security priming that is effective in promoting attachment security in persons who have experienced childhood adversity. First, we developed a Japanese version of the State Adult Attachment Measure (SAAM), a psychological scale that measures the effectiveness of security priming. As a result of examining the reliability and validity of this scale, which measures the security of the state of attachment, the Japanese version of the SAAM was confirmed to have the same performance as the original version. The effectiveness of security priming was then confirmed. The results showed that security priming increased security of the state of attachment in both Japanese adults and those who experienced childhood adversity.

Free Research Field

臨床心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では，SAAMの日本語版を開発したことから，日本人において愛着の状態安定性・不安定性を測定することが可能となった。また，効果量は小さいものの，本研究で用いた安全感のプライミングは愛着の状態安定性・不安定性に影響を及ぼすことが示唆された。さらにその効果は，小児期逆境経験者においても遜色ないことが示されている。愛着の状態安定性・不安定性は，抑うつや不安といった適応とも関連する。そのため，愛着の状態安定性・不安定性に対するより大きな効果量を有する介入手法を開発することができれば，対象者の小児期逆境経験の有無に関係なく，精神的健康度を高めることができる可能性も示された。