Document Type : Research Article
Authors
1 M.A. Graduate of Clinical Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, Sari Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sari, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human sciences, Amol Branch, Islamic Azad University, Amol, Iran
3 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human sciences, Sari Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sari, Iran
Abstract
Introduction
Cluster B personality disorders represent a significant public health concern across various age and gender groups. These disorders are marked by complex and severe symptoms, including dramatic, emotional, erratic, and unpredictable behaviors. Given the poor quality of interpersonal relationships and the associated adverse clinical outcomes, there is a pressing need to conduct studies on psychopathology to gain a deeper understanding of the interpersonal relationship issues prevalent in this cluster. Accordingly, this study aimed to evaluation of the communicator path of insecure attachment and childhood emotional abuse with interpersonal problems in individuals with cluster B personality disorders through the mediating role of frustration tolerance.
Method
This research utilized a descriptive correlational method and path analysis within a cross-sectional design. The target population for this study included individuals seeking outpatient and inpatient psychotherapy services at the neuropsychiatric department of Zare Hospital in Sari, as well as at specialized psychiatric clinics in the central Mazandaran province during 2019. Among them 200 applicants were selected through purposive sampling. The inclusion criteria for participants in this study were as follows: informed consent, possessing a minimum literacy level in Persian, being between the ages of 18 and 50, and having a diagnosis of cluster B personality disorders based on DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III (MCMI-III), and assessment of a psychiatrist. The research instruments included the Adult Attachment Scale (Hazan & Shaver, 1987), the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (Bernstein et al., 2003), the Frustration Discomfort Scale (Harrington, 2005), and the Interpersonal Problems Questionnaire-Short Form (Barkham et al., 1996). Data analysis was performed using path analysis method with AMOS-23 software.
Results
The path analysis results revealed that both insecure-avoidant and insecure-ambivalent attachment styles, along with childhood emotional abuse and frustration tolerance, had a significant positive direct effect on the participants' interpersonal problems. Additionally, the findings indicated that frustration tolerance plays a significant mediating role in the relationship between insecure attachment styles, childhood emotional abuse, and interpersonal problems in individuals with cluster B personality disorders. The evaluation of the path analysis model quality in this study confirmed that the goodness of fit indices specifically the Goodness of Fit Index (GFI), Adjusted Goodness of Fit Index (AGFI), Standardized Fit Index (NFI), and Comparative Fit Index (CFI), all were above the standard value of 0.9. Also, the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) was less than the standard value of 0.08, which confirmed that the final model of this study has a good fit and is considered acceptable.
Discussion
The findings of this study confirm that insecure attachment styles, childhood emotional abuse, and low frustration tolerance are significant factors in understanding the psychopathology associated with interpersonal problems in cluster B personality disorders. As such, these elements should be taken into account in both clinical and non-clinical settings to enhance prevention, diagnosis, and treatment within mental health programs. Furthermore, this study contributes to the existing theoretical frameworks concerning the psychopathology of interpersonal issues in high-risk populations with cluster B personality disorders.
Keywords
- Childhood Emotional Abuse
- Cluster B Personality Disorders
- Frustration Tolerance
- Insecure Attachment
- Interpersonal Problems
Main Subjects
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