Subjective Cognitive Decline, Inter‐Personal Attachment Style and Relationship Quality

TL;DR

This study explores how subjective cognitive decline affects interpersonal relationships and attachment styles in older adults.

Contribution

The study reveals a link between SCD and disorganized attachment styles, offering new insights into early relationship dynamics before dementia.

Findings

SCD is associated with lower disorganized attachment scores (p = 0.01).

SCD was not associated with experience in close relationships.

The study helps understand relationship changes before dementia onset.

Abstract

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is characterized by the perception of cognitive dysfunction, and it could be one of the early signs of dementia. While SCD is a common phenomenon in old persons, little is known about how it affects interpersonal relationships.

We conducted a cross‐sectional study involving 16 patients with SCD and 39 volunteers recruited from the COSCODE study. The Hazan and Shafer questionnaires were used to assess patients' attachment styles. The Experience in Close Relationships Scale was used to assess individual differences in attachment‐related anxiety and attachment‐related avoidance. A Wilcoxon rank‐sum test was performed to test for differences between groups, and p‐values were Bonferroni‐corrected.

SCD is associated with lower disorganized attachment scores (p = 0.01). SCD was not associated with experience in close relationships.

Coping with progressive cognitive decline is a difficult mission. The results of our study on persons with SCD help us to better understand changes in couple relationships before the onset of dementia.