Childhood Attachment Experience and Adulthood Cognitive Vulnerability: Testing State Dependence and Social Desirability Hypotheses

Childhood attachment experiences correlate with personality and cognitive factors associated with vulnerability to depression. The majority of the research in this area, however, relies on self-report measures which may be influenced by mood state and individual differences in social desirability. The present study examines whether mood and social desirability confound the association between attachment experience and cognitive vulnerability in a sample of clinically depressed adults. Regression analyses revealed a strong link between the two domains that is almost entirely independent of mood state and social desirability. The findings suggest that the association between early interpersonal experience and dysfunctional cognitive processes can not be attributed to current depression or willingness to present oneself in an unfavorable light. Limitations and clinical implications of the results and future directions are discussed.