Journal of Advanced Research in Social and Behavioural Sciences 11, Issue 1 (2018) 68-74
68
Journal of Advanced Research in
Social and Behavioural Sciences
Journal homepage: www.akademiabaru.com/arsbs.html
ISSN: 2462-1951
Impact of Attachment Styles on Social Isolation and
Impulsiveness among Patients with Gender Dysphoria
Sumaya Batool
1,*
, Sheharyar Ahmad
1
1
Department of Psychology, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan
ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT
Article history:
Received 18 January 2018
Received in revised form 6 February 2018
Accepted 8 February 2018
Available online 7 May 2018
Present study examined links between social isolation, impulsiveness and relationship
attachment in patients with gender dysphoria. Total number of patients was (N = 40)
with age range of 25-40 years (M = 28.3; SD = 4.48). Sample was selected through
purposive sampling method. To measure adult attachment styles, impulsiveness and
social isolation, relationship questionnaire (RQ), impulsiveness scale(revised) and
friendship scale was used respectively. Statistical analysis revealed that patients with
gender dysphoria manifested higher levels of social isolation and impulsiveness. While,
Pearson correlation analysis indicated significant negative correlation between
impulsiveness and social isolation. Moreover, results of linear regression analysis
identified all attachment styles as significant predictors of social isolation. In addition,
secure attachment style is significant negative predictor of attention impulsiveness and
non-planning impulsiveness. Furthermore, the pre-occupied attachment style
positively predicts the non planning impulsiveness and attention impulsiveness.
Similarly, dismissing attachment style negatively predicts non-planning impulsiveness.
Findings of the study can provide a significant aid for mental health practitioners
working with gender dysphorics. It can also help in developing a better management
plan as it gives more insight in understanding different aspects of their psychological
life.
Keywords:
Relationship attachment, social isolation,
impulsiveness Copyright © 2017 PENERBIT AKADEMIA BARU - All rights reserved
1. Introduction
There is an innate desire of human being to maintain important and positive relationships, human
possess ability, of motivation for interpersonal relationship, by birth and this ability protect them and
increase the chances of survival in life hardships [1]. Interpersonal relationship can also be defined
as bonding or attachment and attachment is a desire to obtain and maintain closeness with other
individual [2].
According to Love and Murdock [3] different attachment styles have been linked to psychological
wellbeing. The process of attachment to the caregiver initiated early in life and a four months old
infant can use perception to locate their mother. According to [2] infants can recognize that how
*
Corresponding author.
E-mail address: sumaya.batool@uos.edu.pk (Sumaya Batool)
Penerbit
Akademia Baru
Open
Access