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Research indicates that some types of adverse childhood experience may be involved in the development of avoidant personality disorder (AVPD). The current study examined relationships between retrospectively reported childhood maltreatment, parental bonding, and teasing on levels of adult AVPD symptomatology. The current study incorporated a cross-section research design. Four hundred and eleven, non-clinical participants (99 males and 312 females), ranging in age from 18 to 65 years (M= 29.75 years, SD= 11.44 years), completed a survey measuring current depression, anxiety and AVPD symptoms, and retrospective reports of childhood maltreatment, parental bonding and teasing. Consistent with hypotheses, AVPD symptomatology correlated positively with depression and anxiety symptoms, childhood maltreatment, parental overprotection and childhood teasing; while a negative association was found with AVPD and parental care. In regression, after controlling for the influence of depression and anxiety, sexual abuse and social behaviour teasing significantly and uniquely predicted AVPD symptomatology. Contrary to expectations, parental bonding was not a unique predictor of AVPD symptomatology in regression modelling. This study contributes to the understanding of factors potentially influencing the development of AVPD.
Key words: avoidant personality disorder, childhood, teasing, parenting, anxiety.
Avoidant personality disorder (AVPD) is a relatively common personality disorder (PD) with a prevalence of 1.4 to 6.6% in the general population (Ekselius, Tillfors, Furmark, & Fredrikson, 2001; Jackson & Burgess, 2000). AVPD is marked by long-term patterns of behaviour intended to avoid personal attachments (both intimate and superficial), together with the desire for loving relationships (Stravynski, Elie, & Franche, 1989). Individuals with AVPD experience significant distress and social impairment (Robin, Cohan, Hambrick, & Albano, 2007), tend to devalue themselves, and suffer apprehension about possible ridicule and rejection from others (Stravynski et al., 1989). Avoidant personality disorder is associated with low global functioning, high interpersonal problems, and reduced quality of life (Wilberg, Karterud, Pedersen, & Urnes, 2009). In addition, comorbidity with other DSM-IV-TR Axis I or II disorders is high (Feske, Perry, Chambless, Renneberg, & Goldstein, 1996; Herbert, Hope, & Bellack, 1992). The debilitating behaviours expressed in individuals with AVPD, coupled with high rates of comorbidity, underscore the need for a better understanding of the developmental pathology. Despite suggestions that childhood experiences are pertinent to the development of AVPD (Benjamin, 1993; Millon, 1981), the role of these...