An attachment perspective on the separation distress hypothesis account of depression

ABSTRACT

This comment underscores the strong overlap between the separation distress theory (of depression) proposed by Watt and Panksepp, and attachment theory as conceived by John Bowlby. Both theories assume that separation anxiety is a core fear in human (and other animals’) lives. Both theories assume a neurobiological and genetic basis underpinning the relational strivings of humans and other animals. And both theories assert that exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE; experiences of abuse and household dysfunction) gravely interfere with healthy adaptive development. This comment, consistent with attachment theory, assumes loss of a loved one naturally leads to a grieving process including disorganization and disorientation, denial, anger, and sadness before an eventual process of reorganization, permitting the grieving individual to focus more on living loved ones, than dead loved ones – while never forgetting dead loved ones. Also, this comment reports on past literature showing that parents who have an autonomous-secure response to the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) may experience depression, but they do not let this impact their interactions with their children. So further research on depression ought to include the AAI to permit appraisal of the likely course and impact of the depression on the life of the depressed person. Finally, this comment also points out how the ACE questionnaire may be a proxy for judging whether the respondent is living with unresolved loss or unresolved trauma.

KEYWORDS:

• Attachment
• separation anxiety
• Adult Attachment Interview
• ACEs
• unresolved loss/trauma

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.