Impathy and Emotion Recognition: How Attachment Shapes Self- and Other-Focused Emotion Processing
<b>Background/Objectives:</b> Early attachment experiences and psychopathology both shape individuals’ emotion processing. However, the specific influence of adult attachment representations on self- (intrapersonal) and other-focused (interpersonal) emotion processing remains unclear, pa...
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2025-05-01
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| author | Dirk W. Eilert Karin de Punder Jeff Maerz Johanna Dose Manuela Gander Philipp Mensah Stefanie Neubrand Josef Hinterhölzl Anna Buchheim |
| author_facet | Dirk W. Eilert Karin de Punder Jeff Maerz Johanna Dose Manuela Gander Philipp Mensah Stefanie Neubrand Josef Hinterhölzl Anna Buchheim |
| author_sort | Dirk W. Eilert |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <b>Background/Objectives:</b> Early attachment experiences and psychopathology both shape individuals’ emotion processing. However, the specific influence of adult attachment representations on self- (intrapersonal) and other-focused (interpersonal) emotion processing remains unclear, particularly in the context of personality disorders. This study examined how attachment representations (organized vs. unresolved) modulate intrapersonal emotion perception (“impathy”) and interpersonal emotion recognition while accounting for personality pathology. <b>Methods:</b> Thirty-three adults (twenty-four patients with a personality disorder and nine healthy controls) were assessed for attachment representation using the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP). Emotion processing was measured via the Impathy Inventory and a facial emotion recognition task (READ-64). Group differences (organized vs. unresolved attachment; patients vs. controls) and correlations with the severity of unresolved attachment status were analyzed. <b>Results:</b> Patients with organized attachment representations did not differ from healthy controls in emotion recognition but showed significantly reduced impathy (<i>M</i> difference = −21.72, <i>SE</i> = 6.20, <i>p</i> = 0.002, 95% CI [−34.42, −9.01], <i>d</i> = −1.57). In contrast, patients with unresolved attachment exhibited impairments in both intrapersonal (<i>M</i> difference = −32.99, <i>SE</i> = 6.20, <i>p</i> < 0.001, 95% CI [−45.69, −20.29], <i>d</i> = −2.39) and interpersonal (<i>M</i> difference = −12.37, <i>SE</i> = 4.36, <i>p</i> = 0.008, 95% CI [−21.28, −3.46], <i>d</i> = −1.23) emotion processing compared to healthy controls. Furthermore, the severity of unresolved attachment status correlated with greater impairment in recognizing anger (<i>r</i> = −0.74, <i>p</i> = 0.004). <b>Conclusions:</b> An organized attachment representation may act as a protective factor, preserving interpersonal emotion recognition even in the presence of psychopathology. Conversely, an unresolved attachment constitutes an additional risk factor that exacerbates emotion processing impairments in the context of personality pathology. Attachment representation thus emerges as an active modulator of core emotion processes, with important implications for theory and targeted interventions in personality disorders. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d8bea2d417a448029c13d9d23d6d4de4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-3425 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-d8bea2d417a448029c13d9d23d6d4de42025-08-20T03:47:49ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252025-05-0115551610.3390/brainsci15050516Impathy and Emotion Recognition: How Attachment Shapes Self- and Other-Focused Emotion ProcessingDirk W. Eilert0Karin de Punder1Jeff Maerz2Johanna Dose3Manuela Gander4Philipp Mensah5Stefanie Neubrand6Josef Hinterhölzl7Anna Buchheim8Institute of Psychology, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, AustriaInstitute of Psychology, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, AustriaInstitute of Psychology, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, AustriaUniversity Clinic for Psychiatry II, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Medical Psychology, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, AustriaInstitute of Psychology, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, AustriaEilert-Academy, 13585 Berlin, GermanySchool of Health, Education and Social Sciences, SRH University of Applied Sciences Heidelberg, 69123 Heidelberg, GermanyUniversity Clinic for Psychiatry II, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Medical Psychology, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, AustriaInstitute of Psychology, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria<b>Background/Objectives:</b> Early attachment experiences and psychopathology both shape individuals’ emotion processing. However, the specific influence of adult attachment representations on self- (intrapersonal) and other-focused (interpersonal) emotion processing remains unclear, particularly in the context of personality disorders. This study examined how attachment representations (organized vs. unresolved) modulate intrapersonal emotion perception (“impathy”) and interpersonal emotion recognition while accounting for personality pathology. <b>Methods:</b> Thirty-three adults (twenty-four patients with a personality disorder and nine healthy controls) were assessed for attachment representation using the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP). Emotion processing was measured via the Impathy Inventory and a facial emotion recognition task (READ-64). Group differences (organized vs. unresolved attachment; patients vs. controls) and correlations with the severity of unresolved attachment status were analyzed. <b>Results:</b> Patients with organized attachment representations did not differ from healthy controls in emotion recognition but showed significantly reduced impathy (<i>M</i> difference = −21.72, <i>SE</i> = 6.20, <i>p</i> = 0.002, 95% CI [−34.42, −9.01], <i>d</i> = −1.57). In contrast, patients with unresolved attachment exhibited impairments in both intrapersonal (<i>M</i> difference = −32.99, <i>SE</i> = 6.20, <i>p</i> < 0.001, 95% CI [−45.69, −20.29], <i>d</i> = −2.39) and interpersonal (<i>M</i> difference = −12.37, <i>SE</i> = 4.36, <i>p</i> = 0.008, 95% CI [−21.28, −3.46], <i>d</i> = −1.23) emotion processing compared to healthy controls. Furthermore, the severity of unresolved attachment status correlated with greater impairment in recognizing anger (<i>r</i> = −0.74, <i>p</i> = 0.004). <b>Conclusions:</b> An organized attachment representation may act as a protective factor, preserving interpersonal emotion recognition even in the presence of psychopathology. Conversely, an unresolved attachment constitutes an additional risk factor that exacerbates emotion processing impairments in the context of personality pathology. Attachment representation thus emerges as an active modulator of core emotion processes, with important implications for theory and targeted interventions in personality disorders.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/15/5/516attachment representationimpathyemotion recognitiondefensive exclusionpersonality disordersadult attachment projective picture system |
| spellingShingle | Dirk W. Eilert Karin de Punder Jeff Maerz Johanna Dose Manuela Gander Philipp Mensah Stefanie Neubrand Josef Hinterhölzl Anna Buchheim Impathy and Emotion Recognition: How Attachment Shapes Self- and Other-Focused Emotion Processing Brain Sciences attachment representation impathy emotion recognition defensive exclusion personality disorders adult attachment projective picture system |
| title | Impathy and Emotion Recognition: How Attachment Shapes Self- and Other-Focused Emotion Processing |
| title_full | Impathy and Emotion Recognition: How Attachment Shapes Self- and Other-Focused Emotion Processing |
| title_fullStr | Impathy and Emotion Recognition: How Attachment Shapes Self- and Other-Focused Emotion Processing |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impathy and Emotion Recognition: How Attachment Shapes Self- and Other-Focused Emotion Processing |
| title_short | Impathy and Emotion Recognition: How Attachment Shapes Self- and Other-Focused Emotion Processing |
| title_sort | impathy and emotion recognition how attachment shapes self and other focused emotion processing |
| topic | attachment representation impathy emotion recognition defensive exclusion personality disorders adult attachment projective picture system |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/15/5/516 |
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