Personality and Social Psychology
The relationship between attachment, personality and antisocial tendencies in a prison sample: A pilot study
ANITA LILL HANSEN,
LEIF WAAGE,
JARLE EID,
BJØRN HELGE JOHNSEN,
STEPHEN HART,
ANITA LILL HANSEN
University of Bergen, Department of Psychosocial Science, Norway
Centre for Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
Search for more papers by this authorLEIF WAAGE
Centre for Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
Search for more papers by this authorJARLE EID
University of Bergen, Department of Psychosocial Science, Norway
Search for more papers by this authorBJØRN HELGE JOHNSEN
University of Bergen, Department of Psychosocial Science, Norway
Search for more papers by this authorSTEPHEN HART
Simon Fraser University, Department of Psychology, Vancouver, Canada
Search for more papers by this authorANITA LILL HANSEN,
LEIF WAAGE,
JARLE EID,
BJØRN HELGE JOHNSEN,
STEPHEN HART,
ANITA LILL HANSEN
University of Bergen, Department of Psychosocial Science, Norway
Centre for Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
Search for more papers by this authorLEIF WAAGE
Centre for Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
Search for more papers by this authorJARLE EID
University of Bergen, Department of Psychosocial Science, Norway
Search for more papers by this authorBJØRN HELGE JOHNSEN
University of Bergen, Department of Psychosocial Science, Norway
Search for more papers by this authorSTEPHEN HART
Simon Fraser University, Department of Psychology, Vancouver, Canada
Search for more papers by this authorAnita L. Hansen, University of Bergen, Department of Psychosocial Science, Christiesgt. 12, 5015 Bergen, Norway. Tel: +47 55 58 31 85; fax: +47 55 58 98 77; e-mail: [email protected]
Abstract
Hansen, A. L., Waage, L., Eid, J., Johnsen, B. H. & Hart, S. (2011). The relationship between attachment, personality and antisocial tendencies in a prison sample: A pilot study. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology52, 268–276.
This study examined the role of adult attachment and personality in relation to antisocial tendencies (i.e. convictions for violence and interpersonal problems in romantic relationships) in Norwegian prison inmates (N = 92). Attachment styles and personality were measured using self-report questionnaires (RSQ; Griffin & Bartholomew, 1994; and NEO-FFI, Costa & McCrae, 1992a). The prison inmates scored higher on avoidant than on anxious attachment style. While age and agreeableness (negatively associated) emerged as significant predictors of violence, anxious attachment explained most of the variances in aggression in intimate relationships. The study suggests that different types of antisocial tendencies could have different attachment and general personality correlates.
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