Attachment style and children and young people with chronic dermatological conditions

Abstract

Background: Dermatological conditions are common in childhood and, in their more severe forms, can cause pain, disability and social marginalisation. Despite attachment being a known factor contributing to psychological and physiological development in childhood and several adult studies showing associations between attachment and dermatology outcomes (Tomas-Aragones, 2018), attachment in young dermatology patients has not been investigated. Objectives: This study examined if (1) 8–16-year-olds with chronic dermatological conditions were more likely to show attachment insecurity than general population peers; (2) attachment style was linked to psychological functioning; and (3) facial involvement was associated with attachment insecurity. Method: One hundred and twenty-two 8–16-year-olds attending a specialist paediatric dermatological service were compared on the Child Attachment Interview (CAI) to general population data. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to measure psychosocial functioning. Results: The dermatology group was significantly more likely to be insecurely attached than their general population peers (χ2[1] = 4.76, p