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Caregivers’ attachment patterns and their interactions with cancer patients’ patterns

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Abstract

Purpose

To provide a brief review of the empirical literature regarding the attachment style of the cancer patients’ caregivers as well as the link between attachment, caregiving, and care-receiving behaviors are defined.

Methods

An extensive systematic electronic review (Medline, PsycINFO, and Attachment Theory Website (ATW)) and subsequent examination of reference lists were carried out to retrieve published articles up to 2011, using attachment and cancer in combination with caregiver, spouse, dyad, and family as the key words. The titles, abstracts, or full articles, if necessary, were reviewed to determine whether the articles met the eligibility criteria.

Results

Eighty-seven studies have been identified, including research articles, books, and chapters in books.

Conclusions

The attachment style of a caregiver can influence how they respond to a patient’s needs. Studies have found that attachment anxiety or avoidance is more likely to interfere with effective and sensitive caregiving.

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Conflict of interest

There is no conflict of interest. The authors have full control of all primary data and agree to allow the journal to review the data if requested.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pain Relief and Palliative Care Unit, Department of Radiology, Areteion Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Athens, 27 Korinthias St., 115 26, Athens, Greece

    Eleni Tsilika, Efi Parpa & Kyriaki Mystakidou

  2. School of Medicine, Thessaly University, Volos, Greece

    Anna Zygogianni

  3. Radiotherapy Unit, Department of Radiology, Attikon University Hospital, School of Medicine, Kapodistrian University of Athens, 1 Rimini St., Haidari, 12462, Athens, Greece

    Vassilios Kouloulias

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  1. Eleni Tsilika
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  2. Efi Parpa
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  3. Anna Zygogianni
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  5. Kyriaki Mystakidou
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Correspondence to Kyriaki Mystakidou.

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Tsilika, E., Parpa, E., Zygogianni, A. et al. Caregivers’ attachment patterns and their interactions with cancer patients’ patterns. Support Care Cancer 23, 87–94 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-014-2329-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-014-2329-6

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