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Learning to trust: trust and attachment in early psychosis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2016

A.-K. J. Fett ,
S. S. Shergill ,
N. Korver-Nieberg ,
F. Yakub ,
P. M. Gromann  and
L. Krabbendam
A.-K. J. Fett*
Affiliation:
Department of Educational Neuroscience and LEARN! Research Institute for Learning and Education, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Department of Psychosis Studies, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, UK
S. S. Shergill
Affiliation:
Department of Psychosis Studies, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, UK
N. Korver-Nieberg
Affiliation:
Department of Early Psychosis, AMC, Academic Psychiatric Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
F. Yakub
Affiliation:
Department of Psychosis Studies, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, UK
P. M. Gromann
Affiliation:
Department of Educational Neuroscience and LEARN! Research Institute for Learning and Education, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
L. Krabbendam
Affiliation:
Department of Educational Neuroscience and LEARN! Research Institute for Learning and Education, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Department of Psychosis Studies, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, UK
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr A.-K. J. Fett, Department of Educational Neuroscience, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat I, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands. (Email: [email protected])
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Abstract

Background

Distrust and social dysfunction are characteristic in psychosis and may arise from attachment insecurity, which is elevated in the disorder. The relationship between trust and attachment in the early stages of psychosis is unknown, yet could help to understand interpersonal difficulties and disease progression. This study aimed to investigate whether trust is reduced in patients with early psychosis and whether this is accounted for by attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety.

Method

We used two trust games with a cooperative and unfair partner in a sample of 39 adolescents with early psychosis and 100 healthy controls.

Results

Patients had higher levels of attachment anxiety, but the groups did not differ in attachment avoidance. Basic trust was lower in patients than controls, as indicated by lower initial investments. During cooperation patients increased their trust towards levels of controls, i.e. they were able to learn and to override initial suspiciousness. Patients decreased their trust less than controls during unfair interactions. Anxious attachment was associated with higher basic trust and higher trust during unfair interactions and predicted trust independent of group status.

Discussion

Patients showed decreased basic trust but were able to learn from the trustworthy behaviour of their counterpart. Worries about the acceptance by others and low self-esteem are associated with psychosis and attachment anxiety and may explain behaviour that is focused on conciliation, rather than self-protection.

Keywords

Adolescenceattachmentearly psychosisparanoiatrust
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 46 , Issue 7 , May 2016 , pp. 1437 - 1447
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

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