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Anxiety as a cause of attachment avoidance in women with Turner Syndrome

Clauson, Sarah; Hollins Martin, Caroline J; Watt, Gordon

Authors

Sarah Clauson

Gordon Watt



Abstract

Working models of attachment are internal depictions of self relative to others and have been described in terms of two dimensions: (1) attachment avoidance and (2) attachment anxiety. An exploratory qualitative study was carried out to build understandings about women with Turner Syndrome (TS) and the psychosocial impact their infertility has upon salient relationships. In one-to-one semi-structured interviews, five women with TS were asked: How do you perceive your womanhood and infertility status has affected your relationships with: (1) the opposite sex, (2) siblings and (3) peers? In opposite-sex relationships, infertility status was found to arouse fear of ending up alone and anxiety over engaging in romantic relationships. In sibling relationships, jealousy was expressed in relation to disparity with sister(s) more natural maturation to womanhood, and, within peer relationships, consequences from divulging infertility status created attachment avoidance with friends. Further investigation in this area is merited.

Citation

Clauson, S., Hollins Martin, C. J., & Watt, G. (2012). Anxiety as a cause of attachment avoidance in women with Turner Syndrome. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 27, 377-390. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681994.2012.748891

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Nov 1, 2012
Deposit Date Aug 10, 2015
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Print ISSN 1468-1994
Electronic ISSN 1468-1749
Publisher Taylor & Francis
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 27
Pages 377-390
DOI https://doi.org/10.1080/14681994.2012.748891
Keywords Turner Syndrome; infertility; attachment; avoidance; anxiety;
Public URL http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/id/eprint/8965
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org./10.1080/14681994.2012.748891

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