Personality and Trauma: Adult Attachment and Posttraumatic Distress Among Former Political Prisoners

Attachment patterns are especially salient in facing danger and threats to one's life. Earlier research has suggested that secure persons are protected and insecure persons vulnerable in conditions of traumatic stress. We argued that the general view may not apply to the complex person-trauma interaction that is characteristic to torture and ill-treatment. Rather, as Crittenden maintains, each attachment pattern involves a unique strategy that is the most adaptive solution, depending on the nature of the trauma. We hypothesized that the general view of the secure attachment pattern being protective, and the insecure patterns being unprotective, would apply when political prisoners are exposed to physical torture and ill-treatment. Whereas, when exposed to psychological torture involving interpersonal cruelty, securely attached persons would be more vulnerable than insecure. The hypotheses were examined among 176 Palestinian male former political prisoners living in the Gaza Strip. Their mental health was assessed by posttraumatic (PTSD) and somatic symptoms, and adult attachment patterns by an applied AAI-method. The results confirmed that among insecure (both dismissing and preoccupied) men, the exposure to a high level of physical torture and ill-treatment was associated with increased levels of PTSD and somatic symptoms. On the other hand, exposure to psychological torture and ill-treatment was associated with an increased level of somatic symptoms among secure-autonomous, but not insecure, persons. The secure and insecure victims thus differed in their strengths and vulnerabilities depending on whether the torture was psychological and interpersonal or physical in nature. Both personality and the meaning of the trauma should thus be considered when helping victims of human rights abuse.