%0 Journal Article
%T Secure attachment imagery facilitates help-seeking and help-acceptance in psychosis.
%A Skrobinska L
%A Newman-Taylor K
%A Carnelley K
%J Psychol Psychother
%V 97
%N 3
%D 2024 Sep 29
%M 38943487
%F 3.966
%R 10.1111/papt.12530
%X <B>OBJECTIVE: </B>People with psychosis delay accessing recommended treatments, resulting in poor healthcare outcomes and increased risk of relapse. Means of improving help-seeking and help-acceptance could reduce duration of untreated psychosis (DUP). This study examined the role of attachment style in help-seeking and help-acceptance in psychosis.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>We used an experimental design to test the effect of attachment imagery priming on help-seeking and help-acceptance intentions, in a sample with self-reported psychosis. The independent variables were attachment imagery condition (secure vs. avoidant) and time (pre- vs. post-prime). The dependent variables were state paranoia, help-seeking intentions and help-acceptance intentions.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>We used an online research platform to recruit people with psychosis (n = 61). Participants were randomly allocated to the secure or avoidant attachment priming condition. All completed measures of state paranoia, help-seeking, and help-acceptance, before and after priming.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>In comparison with the avoidant condition, secure attachment imagery resulted in reduced paranoia and increased help-seeking and acceptance intentions, all with large effect sizes.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>This is the first study to use an experimental design to assess the role of attachment style in help-seeking and help-acceptance in a clinical sample. Attachment style is causally linked to behavioural intentions that contribute to DUP. Clinicians should assess attachment and help-seeking and acceptance, highlight these in formulation, and prioritise in treatment planning. Interventions that enhance help-seeking and acceptance could improve access to recommended treatments and reduce DUP.