Insecure attachment style has been conceptualized as one of the vulnerability factors of depression. However, it is unclear how insecure attachment style leads to an increased risk of depression. This study explored currently and previously depressed individuals displaying increased attachment insecurity and dysfunctional interpersonal behaviors as compared with healthy controls. In addition, a possible mediating pathway connecting insecure attachment and depressive symptoms was examined. The link between insecure attachment and depressive symptoms was found to be mediated via excessive reassurance seeking (ERS). Furthermore, this mediating pathway was significant in the MDD group, but not in the RMD or NC groups. Our findings indicate that the mediating mechanism of ERS linking anxious attachment insecurity and depressive symptoms may be a depressive mood specific vulnerability.

中文翻译：

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重度抑郁症患者依恋和抑郁感不安全的人际调解机制

不安全的依恋风格已被概念化为抑郁症的易感因素之一。但是，尚不清楚不安全的依恋方式如何导致患抑郁症的风险增加。这项研究探索了与健康对照组相比，当前和以前抑郁的人表现出增加的依恋不安全感和不正常的人际交往行为。另外，研究了连接不安全的依恋和抑郁症状的可能的介导途径。发现不安全的依恋感和抑郁症状之间的联系是通过过度寻求保证（ERS）来介导的。此外，这种介导途径在MDD组中很重要，而在RMD或NC组中则不明显。