The Effect of Parental Attachment Patterns on Drug Addiction Among Adolescents

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the parental attachment patterns characterising adolescents addicted to drugs. To this end, three representative case studies involving adolescents who use drugs and who were receiving care at the Intermediate Addiction Treatment Centre in Bouira were examined. The study adopted the clinical approach, using a semi-structured clinical interview and the Attachment Patterns Scale developed by Dr Khadija Mebarki.

The findings revealed that insecure attachment was the predominant pattern among the adolescents with drug addiction. Specifically, two cases exhibited an insecure-avoidant attachment pattern, with attachment scores of 81 for the second case and 76 for the third case. One case displayed an insecure-ambivalent attachment pattern, with an attachment score of 79.