TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2015//
TI  - Do coping strategies mediate the relationship between parental attachment and self-harm in young people?
JO  - Archives of suicide research
A1  - Glazebrook, Katie
A1  - Townsend, Ellen
A1  - Sayal, Kapil
SP  - 205
EP  - 218
VL  - 20
IS  - 2
N2  - OBJECTIVES: Insecure attachment is associated with self-harm in young people, but little research has explored the pathways through which this relationship develops. We investigated whether attachment impacts on self-harm via its effect on coping strategies and appraisal of problem-solving abilities. <br><br>METHODS: 314 students aged 18-20 years completed an online survey with measures of parental attachment, emotion-focused and problem-focused coping strategies, and psychological distress and self-harm. <br><br>RESULTS: A mediational model was not supported as there were no direct effects between parental attachment and self-harm. However, analysis of specific indirect pathways revealed that perceived parental attachment impacts on self-harm through problem-focused coping. Higher quality of attachment was associated with greater reliance on problem-focused (adaptive) coping, which in turn was associated with a decreased risk of having self-harmed. Furthermore, poorer paternal attachment was associated with lower appraisal of problem-solving skills, which in turn was associated with an increased risk of having self-harmed. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Individuals with insecure attachment may be more vulnerable to self-harm because they lack other more constructive coping strategies for relieving stress.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1381-1118
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13811118.2015.1004495
ID  - ref1
ER  -