Change in attachment insecurity is related to improved outcomes 1-year post group therapy in women with binge eating disorder

Abstract

An interpersonal model of Binge Eating Disorder (BED) posits that difficulties with social functioning precipitate negative affect, which in turn causes binge eating as a means of coping. Thus, long-term decreases in attachment insecurity may be important for women with BED. No research has assessed if long-term change in attachment insecurity is associated with sustained change in other outcomes. In the current study, we hypothesized that changes in attachment anxiety and avoidance will decrease at posttreatment and will be maintained up to 12 months after Group Psychodynamic Interpersonal Psychotherapy (GPIP). We further hypothesized that long-term stability of these changes in attachment insecurity will be related to other long-term outcomes. Women with BED (N = 102) attended 16 sessions of GPIP. Measures were completed pretreatment, posttreatment, at 6 and 12 months follow-up. Attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and the other outcome variables decreased significantly at 12 months posttreatment. Reductions in attachment anxiety and avoidance were significantly related to decreases in interpersonal problems up to 12 months posttreatment, and reduction in attachment anxiety was significantly related to decreases in depressive symptoms 12 months posttreatment. Further, the significant relationship between reduced attachment avoidance and decreased interpersonal problems strengthened over the long term. This is the first study to show an association between change in attachment insecurity and change in other outcomes in the long term, and to show an adaptive spiral in which greater reduction in attachment avoidance is increasingly associated with ongoing improvement of interpersonal problems.