Comparison of Emotion Regulation Dimensions and Attachment Styles between People with Somatization Disorder and Normal Individuals

Introduction: Several studies have shown the relationship between emotion regulation and different mental disorders, so that difficulty in emotion regulation, as a key component, has been proposed in several psychopathology models of different mental disorders. On the other hand, high scores in insecure attachment styles are correlated to a variety of psychological problems and disorders. Given limited research in the field of these two variables in somatization patients, the present study investigated these variables in patients with somatization and normal people. Methods: In the context of a causal-comparative study, 30 patients with somatization disorder and 30 normal persons responded to Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) and Hazan and Shaver attachment styles questionnaire. The data were analyzed using independent t-test. Results: The results indicated a significant difference between patients with somatization disorder and normal individuals in terms of emotion regulation (reappraisal: pvalue=0.007; suppression: pvalue<0.001). Various dimensions of attachment styles had significant differences in the two study groups (secure attachment style: pvalue<0.001; avoidant attachment style: pvalue<0.001; ambivalent attachment style: pvalue<0.001). Conclusion: Somatizing patients suppress their emotions more than normal people and use less reappraisal. They also have more avoidant and ambivalent attachment styles than secure attachment style.