Attachment style and alliance in patients with diabetes and healthcare professionals

Abstract

Avoidant attachment has been found to impair attendance at appointments and treatment adherence of patients with diabetes, but the role of staff–patient relationships has not been explored. This study investigates whether attachment influences the quality of alliance between patients with diabetes and healthcare professionals. Patient avoidance was significantly associated with difficulties in therapeutic alliance. Further research is required to establish whether therapeutic alliance, underpinned by attachment, influences treatment adherence and to investigate ways of promoting collaboration.

Keywords:

• adherence
• attachment theory
• diabetes
• patient–provider relationship
• therapeutic alliance

Acknowledgements

We thank the patients and staff at the Manchester Royal Infirmary Diabetes Centre and Salford Royal Diabetes Centre who assisted us greatly with our research.