Underlying Role of Rumination-Mediated Attachment Style Plays in PTSD after TIA and Stroke.

Objective

Attachment and rumination were examined as the intermediary variables on post-traumatic stress disorder and medication compliance in stroke or TIA patients.

Methods

A total of 300 participants with stroke or TIA from the Second Hospital of Hebei Province were selected. Patients accomplished NIHSS, ABCD2, ECR, RSQ, and RRS on admission. After 3 months, the PCL-C and MMAS were collected.

Results

In the stroke or TIA patients, the incident of PTSD was 7.7%; PTSD scores were significantly associated with attachment anxiety (r = 0.225, p < 0.01), symptom rumination (r = 0.197, p < 0.01), and obsessive thinking (r = 0.187, p < 0.01). After the Sobel test analysis and verification by the Baron and Kenny’s stepwise approach we found that ruminant mediated the relationship between attachment anxiety and PTSD; obsessive thinking mediated the relationship between attachment anxiety and PTSD.

Conclusions

The relationship between attachment anxiety and PTSD was positively predicted by rumination and obsessive thinking. Adult attachment style, rumination, and PTSD scores may not predict medication compliance.