Pattern di attaccamento e depressione nell'età evolutiva: contributo clinico in un'ottica cognitivista sistemico-processuale

Attachment patterns and developmental depression: a clinical and process-oriented cognitive investigation. According to the systems and process-oriented cognitive theory, different significant factors are involved in development of a «self-organization of personal meaning dimension», such as constitutional factors, attachment relationships, and, most of all, a subjective manner of arranging life experiences. During adolescence, each self-organization of personal meaning dimension acquires more or less adaptive characteristics, that will be used during adulthood. Therefore, in regard to its physiological or pathological aspects, adolescent depression represents a criticai way of understanding emotional and cognitive style involved in the development of adult personality. With respect to the examined subjects, the Authors propose a classification of adolescent depression into three different forms: the first one, characterized by an uncertain and indefinite personality, which avoids any significant confrontation (external depression, corresponding to an «entangled », anxious resistent attachment); the second one, characterized by a primary sense of personal inadequacy and failure (internai depression, corresponding to a «dismissing», anxious avoiding attachment); the third one, has characteristics common to the other two forms or has atypical clinical aspects. Key words: adolescent depression, attachment, self organization of personal meaning dimension.