Citation

Holman N, Kirkby A, Duncan S, Brown RJ. Epilepsy Res. 2008; 79(1): 84-89.

Affiliation

Division of Clinical Psychology, University of Manchester, UK.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2007.12.015

PMID

18281196

Abstract

Non-epileptic attack disorder (NEAD) poses a significant clinical problem but is poorly understood. Attachment theory provides a framework for understanding the development and maintenance of NEAD and the contribution of childhood abuse and neglect to these processes. A cross-sectional design was used to study attachment style and early traumatic experiences in individuals with NEAD (N=17) compared to those with epilepsy (N=26). A significant difference in predominant attachment style between the two groups was found, with fearful attachment occurring more frequently in the NEAD group. Abuse and neglect were also significantly more common in the NEAD patients. Both early traumatic experiences and fearful attachment added significantly to the predictive power of a logistic regression equation after controlling for anxiety and dysthymia. The findings suggest a link between disturbed attachment and NEAD and have clinical implications for therapeutic intervention with this group.

Language: en