Childhood Adversity and Engagement in Adulthood: The Role of Attachment as a Mediator
The findings offer support for interrelations among childhood adversity, attachment insecurity, and engagement in meaningful activity. Further research is required to support the application of these findings in clinical settings. Plain-Language Summary: To our knowledge, this is the first study to establish a connection between attachment insecurity in adults and lower levels of engagement in meaningful activities during adulthood. The findings highlight the heightened vulnerability of adults who have a history of childhood adversity. The findings also emphasize the significance of (1) considering clients' childhood adversity and attachment patterns when assessing for and providing occupational therapy services and (2) advocating for the inclusion of trauma-informed practices for those with lower levels of meaningful occupational engagement.
Authors
- Paul Harnett (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6831-0978)
- Pamela Meredith (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2981-9189)
- Lachlan Kerley
- Samantha Aquilina
Institutions
- University of the Sunshine Coast (AU)
Publication Details
- Journal
- American Journal of Occupational Therapy
- Published
- 2024-10-17
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2024.050770
- Primary Topic
- Child Abuse and Trauma
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00