Self-harm in relation to attachment theory and the cry of pain model: attachment insecurities and feelings of entrapment as vulnerability factors
Self-harm thoughts and behaviour have been found to be associated with a wide variety of distal and proximal factors; however, few studies have examined how these factors work together to increase the risk of self-harm. A key distal factor is a history of child and family adversity, which attachment...
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| Format: | Thesis (University of Nottingham only) |
| Language: | English |
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2013
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/14457/ |
| _version_ | 1848791965676601344 |
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| author | Cuenca, Jose |
| author_facet | Cuenca, Jose |
| author_sort | Cuenca, Jose |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Self-harm thoughts and behaviour have been found to be associated with a wide variety of distal and proximal factors; however, few studies have examined how these factors work together to increase the risk of self-harm. A key distal factor is a history of child and family adversity, which attachment theory views as a precursor of attachment insecurities that may increase the risk of later self-harm. A key proximal factor is the desire to escape from overwhelming distress, and Williams (2001) cry of pain model describes a process that could help better understand the reasons behind seeking escape via self-harm. This research investigated whether insecurely attached individuals tend to feel trapped and whether entrapment leads to self-harm thoughts (suicide ideation [Chapter 2] and thoughts about non-suicidal self-injury [Chapter 3]). This research also investigated whether feelings of entrapment among insecurely attached individuals varied as a function of problem-solving (as assessed with the Means-Ends Problem-Solving [MEPS] procedure [Chapter 4] and a diary study [Chapter 5]). The effect of stressful events on subsequent feelings of defeat and entrapment, and the role of attachment, was also examined using an experimental design (Chapter 6).
Self-harm thoughts were common among insecurely attached individuals and among those who felt trapped. Entrapment was reported by insecurely attached individuals, but this feeling did not explain their self-harm thoughts nor did it vary as a function of problem-solving. In response to a laboratory stressor, attachment insecurities seem to exacerbate negative emotions. The findings suggest that assessment of attachment styles could help to identify individuals at risk of self-harm. Moreover, interventions aimed at reducing feelings of entrapment could decrease the risk of self-harm. Still, studies are needed to clarify the direction of the relationships between attachment, entrapment and self-harm, and the psychological mechanisms that might underlie these relationships. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T18:36:53Z |
| format | Thesis (University of Nottingham only) |
| id | nottingham-14457 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T18:36:53Z |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-144572025-02-28T11:30:57Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/14457/ Self-harm in relation to attachment theory and the cry of pain model: attachment insecurities and feelings of entrapment as vulnerability factors Cuenca, Jose Self-harm thoughts and behaviour have been found to be associated with a wide variety of distal and proximal factors; however, few studies have examined how these factors work together to increase the risk of self-harm. A key distal factor is a history of child and family adversity, which attachment theory views as a precursor of attachment insecurities that may increase the risk of later self-harm. A key proximal factor is the desire to escape from overwhelming distress, and Williams (2001) cry of pain model describes a process that could help better understand the reasons behind seeking escape via self-harm. This research investigated whether insecurely attached individuals tend to feel trapped and whether entrapment leads to self-harm thoughts (suicide ideation [Chapter 2] and thoughts about non-suicidal self-injury [Chapter 3]). This research also investigated whether feelings of entrapment among insecurely attached individuals varied as a function of problem-solving (as assessed with the Means-Ends Problem-Solving [MEPS] procedure [Chapter 4] and a diary study [Chapter 5]). The effect of stressful events on subsequent feelings of defeat and entrapment, and the role of attachment, was also examined using an experimental design (Chapter 6). Self-harm thoughts were common among insecurely attached individuals and among those who felt trapped. Entrapment was reported by insecurely attached individuals, but this feeling did not explain their self-harm thoughts nor did it vary as a function of problem-solving. In response to a laboratory stressor, attachment insecurities seem to exacerbate negative emotions. The findings suggest that assessment of attachment styles could help to identify individuals at risk of self-harm. Moreover, interventions aimed at reducing feelings of entrapment could decrease the risk of self-harm. Still, studies are needed to clarify the direction of the relationships between attachment, entrapment and self-harm, and the psychological mechanisms that might underlie these relationships. 2013-07-10 Thesis (University of Nottingham only) NonPeerReviewed application/pdf en arr https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/14457/1/594956.pdf Cuenca, Jose (2013) Self-harm in relation to attachment theory and the cry of pain model: attachment insecurities and feelings of entrapment as vulnerability factors. PhD thesis, University of Nottingham. |
| spellingShingle | Cuenca, Jose Self-harm in relation to attachment theory and the cry of pain model: attachment insecurities and feelings of entrapment as vulnerability factors |
| title | Self-harm in relation to attachment theory and the cry of pain model: attachment insecurities and feelings of entrapment as vulnerability factors |
| title_full | Self-harm in relation to attachment theory and the cry of pain model: attachment insecurities and feelings of entrapment as vulnerability factors |
| title_fullStr | Self-harm in relation to attachment theory and the cry of pain model: attachment insecurities and feelings of entrapment as vulnerability factors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Self-harm in relation to attachment theory and the cry of pain model: attachment insecurities and feelings of entrapment as vulnerability factors |
| title_short | Self-harm in relation to attachment theory and the cry of pain model: attachment insecurities and feelings of entrapment as vulnerability factors |
| title_sort | self-harm in relation to attachment theory and the cry of pain model: attachment insecurities and feelings of entrapment as vulnerability factors |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/14457/ |