An attachment-based intervention for patients with cardiovascular disease and their partners: A proof-of-concept study.

Unlabelled: Couple distress is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, whereas support is associated with heart-healthy behaviors and better CVD outcomes.

Objective: To assess the clinical benefit of the Healing Hearts Together (HHT) intervention, an attachment-based relationship enhancement program for couples in which 1 partner has CVD, on relationship quality, mental health, and quality of life (QoL).

Method: Patients from a tertiary cardiac care center and their partners (N = 78; 39 couples) attended the 8-session HHT group.

Learning a new way of living together: a qualitative study exploring the relationship changes and intervention needs of patients with cardiovascular disease and their partners.

Objectives: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) not only affects the patient, but has implications for the partner. Emerging evidence suggests that supportive couple relationships enhance CVD outcomes and reduce patient and partner distress. To date, however, little research has been done to address the couple relationship as a potentially important component of cardiac care.

Attachment insecurity mediates the relationship between childhood trauma and eating disorder psychopathology in a clinical sample: a structural equation model.

Objectives: Childhood maltreatment occurs often among those with an eating disorder and is considered a nonspecific risk factor. However, the mechanisms by which childhood maltreatment may lead to an eating disorder are not well understood. The current study tests a model in which attachment insecurity is hypothesized to mediate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and eating disorder psychopathology.

Matching women with binge eating disorder to group treatment based on attachment anxiety: outcomes and moderating effects.

We hypothesized that compared to therapy groups homogeneously composed of women with binge eating disorder (BED) and low attachment anxiety, groups with high attachment anxiety would have better outcomes and a greater alliance-outcome relationship. We assigned 102 women with BED to therapy groups homogeneously composed of low attachment anxiety (n =52) or high attachment anxiety participants (n=50) who received Group Psychodynamic Interpersonal Psychotherapy (GPIP). GPIP resulted in improved outcomes with large effects.

Testing a maintenance model for eating disorders in a sample seeking treatment at a tertiary care center: a structural equation modeling approach.

Fairburn et al (Fairburn, CG, Cooper, Z, Shafran, R. Behav Res Ther 2003;41:509-528) proposed additional maintenance mechanisms (ie, interpersonal difficulties, mood intolerance, low self-esteem, and perfectionism) for some individuals with eating disorders in addition to core eating disorder psychopathology (ie, overevaluation of eating, weight, and shape and their control). This is the first study to both elaborate and test this maintenance model as a structural model.

Personality dimensions among women with an eating disorder: towards reconceptualizing DSM.

Objective: To evaluate the incremental validity of a dimensional assessment of personality, after controlling for diagnostic category, in accounting for meaningful variation in eating disorder attitudes and behaviours and in current affective distress among a clinical sample of eating disordered women.

Methods: 244 treatment seeking eating disordered women and 116 non-eating disordered women were assessed with the NEO five factor inventory (NEO-FFI), and with measures of eating disorder attitudes and of affective distress using a cross sectional design.

Results: As predicted, differences were found between eating disordered and non-eating disordered women on several NEO-FFI scales, which provided a context for subsequent analyses.

Psychometric properties of self-monitoring of eating disorder urges among treatment seeking women: ecological momentary assessment using a daily diary method.

Objectives: The psychometric properties of an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) method used to evaluate eating disorder (ED) urges were examined.

Methods: Participants, 139 women who sought treatment for an ED, completed a daily diary measuring ED urges after each meal for a three week period at the start of treatment, and a measure of ED attitudes and behaviors pre- and post-treatment.

Results: The construct validity of this method was indicated by a two factor solution representing binge eating urges and ED compensatory behavior urges, and by significant differences between ED diagnostic groups on ED urge type.

Temperament, life events, and psychopathology among the offspring of bipolar parents.

Objectives: The present study examines the relationship between temperament, recent and remote life events, and psychopathology among the offspring of parents with bipolar disorder and well comparisons.

Methods: Offspring of bipolar and well parents were clinically assessed using KSADS-PL format interviews. Lifetime psychiatric diagnoses were made on a blind consensus basis in accordance with DSM-IV criteria.

MMPI as a measure of subthreshold and residual psychopathology among the offspring of lithium responsive and non-responsive bipolar parents.

Objectives: In bipolar adults, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) can detect residual symptoms and confirm completeness of remission, thus helping to predict response to lithium prophylaxis. In the high-risk and early onset bipolar populations, the association of the MMPI with clinical course and treatment response has not yet been studied. The present study compares MMPI profiles completed by the well or remitted offspring of two groups of bipolar parents divided on the basis of parental response to long-term lithium.