A theoretical and empirical investigation into Attachment Trauma - the development and validation of the Adult Attachment Trauma Questionnaire (AATQ).

The dissertation explores the concept of Attachment Trauma (AT) and its measurement. The first chapter addresses the theoretical heterogeneity surrounding AT by conducting an integrative review, identifying six distinct research streams: infant disorganized attachment, unresolved/disorganized adult state of mind, adult fearful attachment, complex post-traumatic stress disorder (cPTSD), early adverse experiences, and biological correlates of trauma. The review highlights the differences and the convergences of these perspectives on AT, leading to a new definition of it. The second chapter presents the development and validation of the Adult Attachment Trauma Questionnaire (AATQ). Following extensive items’ refinement and two pilot studies, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted on a general sample of 407 adults from Italy, confirming a six-factor structure. The subscales identified were Conflict, Attachment-related Dissociation, Attachment Phobia, Victim, Dangerous Self, and Revengeful Perpetrator. The final 28-item questionnaire demonstrated excellent convergent and incremental validity. Notably, the AATQ outperformed the Adult Disorganized Attachment (ADA) scale and the Emotions in Close Relationships (ECR) measure in predicting trauma-related and pathological outcomes. The third chapter investigates the AATQ using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in a general adult sample of 345 individuals recruited from Prolific, confirming the six-factor model and identifying one higher-order factor of AT. Configural, scalar, and metric invariance across sex were established, and Network Analysis and Latent Profile Analysis further elucidated the underlying structure of AT. These findings support the AATQ as a comprehensive, psychometrically sound tool for assessing AT.