Introduction
Emotional regulation (ER) is essential in a person’s behavior, and as stated in the research, one’s attachment style is shown by how one regulates his emotions and expression (Katana et al., 2019). Attachment styles are significant in a person’s life as he shows how one relates to other people and the world. It also shows how one views other people in his surroundings. It is also important to note that although it is still under debate, the connection between adult attachment methods and ER and the processes of attachment to help understand ER can be well comprehended if one takes the time to observe and understand a person (Kinnaird et al., 2020). For example, a person who quickly gets anxious usually up-regulates their emotions, which causes them to overreact and have negative feelings.
Attachment and Regulation
Emotion regulation and attachment are generally linked to one another. It has been discovered that an individual who can manage or process both positive and negative emotions is securely attached (Prosen & Vitulić, 2016). On the contrary, individuals who are easily affected by negative emotions are insecurely attached. One of the approaches to regulating emotions can be used in helping a child control his emotions (Crawford, 2021). Experts have proposed that the patterns of emotion regulation serve an essential function for the infant and can be used to maintain a good relationship with the attachment figure. Keeping the relationship is thought to have been achieved when the infant’s regulation shows in the infant’s regulation of the attachment system in response to the experience with the caregiver (Sullivan, 2017). Infants who have faced rejection in their lives or are insecure tend to minimize the adverse effects for fear of further rejection. Infants whose caregivers or mothers have been missing or are insecure usually maximize negative impact to gain more attention from a more involved and present caregiver or mother (Lusby et al., 2016). These patterns of emotion ensure that the child stays more connected to the mother. (Porter, 2016).
Research on adult attachment is based on a couple of beliefs. One is that system that enables the emotional bond between a parent and a child also allows adults to develop an intimate emotional relationship (Inaba, 2020). It is noted that emotionally insecure adults cannot cope with anxiety, fear of rejection, and stress because they did not learn how to regulate their emotions at a young age (Virginanti et al., 2019). This in itself shows that human attachment influences how they handle their feelings.
Interceptive Awareness
Interception is mainly associated with conscious and non-conscious self-regulation and behavior related to health (Kanyadan & Ganti, 2019). This association usually enables the regulation of one’s physiological needs. Additionally, it could positively or negatively influence the mental health of a person. Infants can be taught to point out and manage the sources of interceptive discomfort. Insecure individuals can regulate and sustain their emotions and trust their feelings, whereas individuals with anxiety have high-stress levels when stressed or uncomfortable (Ma et al., 2016). They will do this depending on how their parents or caregivers pay attention to them and how they respond to their needs. Research also shows that Interceptive Awareness is a significant negative predictor of Alexithymia (Abramczyk et al., 2018).
Alexithymia
It should be noted that Alexithymia is a medical condition of not being able to feel emotions. People with this condition may experience various feelings in a social context, such as anger, depression, and confusion; therefore, it shapes one’s emotional experience. Alexithymia is specific to emotion, but research has shown that it is associated with difficulties in feeling non-effective signals such as headaches and heartbeats (Lane, 2020). It has been found that those who have a hard time identifying emotions such as fear and anxiety may also have a hard time remembering the feeling of hunger and pain. Indeed, Alexithymia and Interoceptive awareness are similar, relating to their functions with the process of the internal physiological and emotional signs are determined by attachment experiences, and they contribute to a person’s emotional regulation development (Scarpazza et al., 2018). There is a need to research the relationship between Alexithymia and interceptive awareness. This is to precisely know how they affect a person’s emotional regulation. Also, to clear the uncertainty of the link between attachment styles and emotional regulation (Moises de la Serna & Vanegas, 2018).
Model Analysis
Model set-up
According to this analysis, investigation of Alexithymia and Interoceptive Awareness relationships between the ER and the adults’ attachment dimensions are difficult. Its effects in the model control variables like gender, age, ethnicity, and marital status (Scarpazza et al., 2018). The outcome of the analysis shows that noticeable effects from the attachment to the ER challenges are associated with the condition. Men show a low level of attachment, making them more vulnerable to the side-effect associated with the condition. Emotional stability is important for all humans, and it can be venerable. In this case, the total outcome of Alexithymia is the result of summing up the responses to twenty items simultaneously; the outcome of the subscale is the output of the subscale (Schuengel et al., 2021). This analysis is based on a 20-item instrument that is used to assess the level of Alexithymia. This refers to people who will have difficulty describing and identifying the set emotions and who tend to reduce the emotional focus and experience attention externally. This model has nearly three subscales that include:
- The uneasiness of describing feelings subscale is used to assess the difficulty which describing the emotions. The five-item in this model could be 17, 11, -2, 11 and 4
- Difficulty in identifying the feeling subscale used to assess the measurement situation identifying the emotions with the seven-item which include 14, 13, 9, 7, 6, 3, -1
- External orientation of thinking subscale that is used to assess someone’s tendency to focus their attention externally. These items include: 20, 19, 18, 16, 15, 10, 8, -5
Model outcome
According to the TAS-20 model, the self-report scale is made up of 20 items, with the items rated using a 5-unit scale. With this scale, 5 is a strong agreement, while one is strongly disagreeing. It is important to note that five times are negative keyed (items 19, 18, 10, 5, and 4). Depression and stress can be a big menace to people who cannot openly express themselves or how they feel. Many people contemplate suicide due to a hard time, and they will do it if not helped. Men show a low level of attachment, making them more vulnerable to the side-effect associated with the condition. Emotional stability is important for all humans, and it can be venerable. In this case, the total outcome of Alexithymia is the result of summing up the responses to twenty items simultaneously; the outcome of the subscale is the output of the subscale. For an equivalent or lesser than 51, the person is regarded as non-alexithymic, and for an equivalent or greater than 61, the outcome is regarded as Alexithymia. And, a score between 52 and 60 is regarded as likely to have the condition. These 20 models show recommendable internal consistent results with Cronbach’s alpha = 0.81, and the outcome of the test is 0.77. This assessment adapting shows an equivalent level of concurrent and convergent validity. With three factors structure, we found the theoretical congruent of these conditions. It is accurate and replicable across non-clinical and clinical populations.
Discussions
Gender, age, and covariation are harmful predators in all the models; this indicates that men and older people are less vulnerable to feel ER-related challenges when compare to young adults and females. Education is a dangerous predator in the approach to avoiding attachment, suggesting that people with high education will develop better ER skills to handle their situations (Nwagbara, 2020). Therefore, the most significant consideration for future analysis and research is that young adults and women with an attachment concert might present a certain group of interests for the growth of targeted intervention that effectively addresses this aim concern through a focus on the mind-body connection. Keeping the relationship is achieved when the infant’s emotional regulation shows that the attachment system is in response to the experience of the caregiver.
The most significant consideration derived from this research is the focus associated with improving the interpretation, emotional identification, and the regulations that would be considered when designing interpretation to address the challenges in those attached concerns (Fortuna, 2020). It is important to base on the body-mind approaches to replace the attachment by focusing on the interventions that include the two components that might contribute to their efficiency. Infants can be taught to point out and manage the sources of interceptive discomfort. Insecure individuals can regulate and sustain their emotions and trust their feelings, whereas individuals with anxiety have high-stress levels when stressed or uncomfortable. They will do this depending on how their parents or caregivers pay attention to them and how they respond to their needs.
This research is significant in many ways as it helps people identify the challenges associated with these conditions. Depression and stress can be a big menace to people who cannot openly express themselves or how they feel. Many people contemplate suicide due to a hard time, and they will do it if not helped. Men show a low level of attachment, making them more vulnerable to the side-effect associated with the condition (Taylor & Bagby, 2004). Emotional stability is important for all humans, and it can be venerable.
Conclusion
The research is very helpful in helping people with the condition, especially men and older people. Indeed, Alexithymia and interoceptive awareness are similar, relating to their functions with the process of the internal physiological and emotional signs are determined by attachment experiences, and they contribute to a person’s emotional regulation development. It is recommended for future research to focus on older women and girls to develop a proper relationship which will close up the missing link in the research. The outcome of the analysis shows that noticeable effects from the attachment to the ER challenges are associated with the condition. This analysis is based on a 20-item instrument that is used to assess the level of Alexithymia. This refers to people who will have difficulty describing and identifying the set emotions and who tend to reduce the emotional focus and experience attention externally.
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