Attachment DisorderNCT07922382
Integrated Attachment Theory
A study testing IAT in people with Attachment Disorder, run by Boston University Charles River Campus at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This pilot randomized waitlist-controlled study will evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effects of a 12-week Integrated Attachment Theory (IAT) psychoeducational coaching program in adults ages 18-65 with an insecure attachment pattern identified through study screening. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 65 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Attachment Disorder
- What is being tested?
- IAT
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 24 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Dec 2026to Dec 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 65 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Speak and read English sufficiently to complete study questionnaires and the IAT program
- Meets the PDS attachment-style eligibility criterion for insecure attachment
- Able and willing to attend required in-person Boston University (BU) research visits
- Able and willing, if assigned, to participate in the 12-week remote IAT program.
Who cannot join
- Self-reported neurological disorder or condition
- Self-reported psychiatric/mental-health disorder
- Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) total score >14
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) total score >14
- Failure to meet the PDS attachment-style eligibility criterion
- Inability to complete required study procedures
- A safety concern that makes participation inappropriate.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site
Boston University Center for Life Science & Engineering
Boston, Massachusetts, 02215
Meryem Yücel, PhD, 617-353-1181, mayucel@bu.edu
Miray Altinkaynak, PhD MPH
About this study
This pilot randomized waitlist-controlled study will evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effects of a 12-week Integrated Attachment Theory (IAT) psychoeducational coaching program in adults ages 18-65 with an insecure attachment pattern identified through study screening.
Eligible participants will be randomized 1:1 to immediate IAT or a 12-week waitlist followed by IAT. The immediate group will complete in-person Boston University assessments before and after IAT; the waitlist group will complete assessments at baseline, after the 12-week waiting period, and after subsequently completing IAT.
The primary objectives are to determine whether the study procedures and intervention are feasible and to estimate the magnitude and variability of pre/post changes. The investigators hypothesize that IAT will be associated with improvement in attachment-related patterns, emotion regulation, interpersonal functioning, and well-being, together with changes in physiological and cortical responses during attachment-related emotion regulation compared with the waitlist period.
- Conditions
- Attachment Disorder
- Being tested
- IAT
- Keywords
- Integrated Attachment Theory (IAT), Personal Development School, Interpersonal functioning, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
IATBehavioural
IAT provides12 consecutive weekly remote Zoom sessions delivered by Personal Development School (PDS). Each session lasts approximately 2.5 hours with about 90 minutes of teaching plus 1 hour of supervised support. Participants will work in small breakout rooms with two participants per room during the support portion. The 12-week curriculum addresses core beliefs, relationship needs, emotional/nervous-system patterns, communication, boundaries, and behaviors. Participants will also complete approximately 10 minutes of daily skills practice/homework.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate Integrated Attachment Theory (IAT) | Experimental | Participants randomized to this arm will immediately receive the 12 week IAT intervention. Receives: Behavioral: IAT |
| Waitlist followed by IAT | Active comparator | Participants randomized to this arm will be put on a 12 week waitlist and after will receive the IAT intervention. Receives: Behavioral: IAT |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Feasibility of IAT intervention
Feasibility will be assessed using intervention and study completion. The number and percentage of participants assigned to IAT who complete the 12-week IAT program and the corresponding post-intervention research assessment will be calculated. Higher completion/retention rates will indicate greater feasibility.
Measured: baseline through 12 weeks
Change in attachment
Attachment will be assessed using the self-report Personal Development School (PDS) Attachment-Style Questionnaire administered at baseline and again at the post-intervention assessment. The questionnaire characterizes participants' attachment patterns, including secure and insecure attachment styles. Change from baseline to 12 weeks will be evaluated, with movement toward greater attachment security interpreted as improvement.
Measured: baseline and 12 weeks
Secondary outcomes (3)
Change in emotion regulation, measured by the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-36)
Emotion regulation will be assessed using the 36-item self-report Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-36). Items are rated on a 5-point scale from 1 (almost never) to 5 (almost always). The total score ranges from 36 to 180. Higher scores indicate greater difficulties with emotion regulation; therefore, a decrease in score from baseline indicates improvement in emotion regulation.
Measured: baseline and 12 weeks
Change in interpersonal functioning, measured by the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-32 (IIP-32)
Interpersonal functioning will be assessed using the 32-item self-report Inventory of Interpersonal Problems, Short Form (IIP-32). Items are rated from 0 (not at all) to 4 (very much) and assess difficulties across eight interpersonal domains. Higher scores indicate greater interpersonal difficulties; therefore, a decrease from baseline indicates improvement in interpersonal functioning.
Measured: baseline and 12 weeks
Change in well-being, measured by the WHO-5 Well-Being Index
Well-being will be assessed using the 5-item self-report World Health Organization 5 (WHO-5) Well-Being Index. Each item is rated from 0 to 5. Raw scores range from 0 to 25 and are multiplied by 4 to yield a score from 0 to 100. Higher scores indicate better well-being; therefore, an increase from baseline indicates improvement.
Measured: baseline and 12 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted6 Nov 2026
- Study startDec 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionDec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionDec 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Attachment DisorderStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Eligible participants will be randomized 1:1 to immediate IAT or a 12-week waitlist followed by IAT.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 24 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Boston University Charles River Campus
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Personal Development School (PDS)
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Meryem Yücel, PhD, Principal investigator, BU, Biomedical Engineering, Neurophotonics Center
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07922382
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- TBD not assigned
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 27 Oct 2026
- Last updated
- 6 Nov 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 6 Nov 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Integrated Attachment Theory
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07922382
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- TBD not assigned
- Conditions
- Attachment Disorder
- Keywords
- Integrated Attachment Theory (IAT), Personal Development School, Interpersonal functioning, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 24 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Boston University Charles River CampusUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Personal Development School (PDS)
- Study start
- Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- Dec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Dec 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 6 Nov 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This pilot randomized waitlist-controlled study will evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effects of a 12-week Integrated Attachment Theory (IAT) psychoeducational coaching program in adults ages 18-65 with an insecure attachment pattern identified through study screening.
Eligible participants will be randomized 1:1 to immediate IAT or a 12-week waitlist followed by IAT. The immediate group will complete in-person Boston University assessments before and after IAT; the waitlist group will complete assessments at baseline, after the 12-week waiting period, and after subsequently completing IAT.
The primary objectives are to determine whether the study procedures and intervention are feasible and to estimate the magnitude and variability of pre/post changes. The investigators hypothesize that IAT will be associated with improvement in attachment-related patterns, emotion regulation, interpersonal functioning, and well-being, together with changes in physiological and cortical responses during attachment-related emotion regulation compared with the waitlist period.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Eligible participants will be randomized 1:1 to immediate IAT or a 12-week waitlist followed by IAT.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate Integrated Attachment Theory (IAT) | Experimental | Behavioral: IATParticipants randomized to this arm will immediately receive the 12 week IAT intervention. |
| Waitlist followed by IAT | Active comparator | Behavioral: IATParticipants randomized to this arm will be put on a 12 week waitlist and after will receive the IAT intervention. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Speak and read English sufficiently to complete study questionnaires and the IAT program
- Meets the PDS attachment-style eligibility criterion for insecure attachment
- Able and willing to attend required in-person Boston University (BU) research visits
- Able and willing, if assigned, to participate in the 12-week remote IAT program.
Key exclusion criteria (7 listed)
- Self-reported neurological disorder or condition
- Self-reported psychiatric/mental-health disorder
- Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) total score >14
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) total score >14
- Failure to meet the PDS attachment-style eligibility criterion
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| IATIAT provides12 consecutive weekly remote Zoom sessions delivered by Personal Development School (PDS). Each session lasts approximately 2.5 hours with about 90 minutes of teaching plus 1 hour of supervised support. Participants will work in small breakout rooms with two participants per room during the support portion. The 12-week curriculum addresses core beliefs, relationship needs, emotional/nervous-system patterns, communication, boundaries, and behaviors. Participants will also complete approximately 10 minutes of daily skills practice/homework. | Behavioural | Immediate Integrated Attachment Theory (IAT), Waitlist followed by IAT |
Primary outcome
Feasibility of IAT intervention
Time frame: baseline through 12 weeks
Feasibility will be assessed using intervention and study completion. The number and percentage of participants assigned to IAT who complete the 12-week IAT program and the corresponding post-intervention research assessment will be calculated. Higher completion/retention rates will indicate greater feasibility.
Change in attachment
Time frame: baseline and 12 weeks
Attachment will be assessed using the self-report Personal Development School (PDS) Attachment-Style Questionnaire administered at baseline and again at the post-intervention assessment. The questionnaire characterizes participants' attachment patterns, including secure and insecure attachment styles. Change from baseline to 12 weeks will be evaluated, with movement toward greater attachment security interpreted as improvement.
3 secondary outcomes
Change in emotion regulation, measured by the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-36)
Time frame: baseline and 12 weeks
Change in interpersonal functioning, measured by the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-32 (IIP-32)
Time frame: baseline and 12 weeks
Change in well-being, measured by the WHO-5 Well-Being Index
Time frame: baseline and 12 weeks
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 6 Nov 2026.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Meryem Yücel, PhD principal investigator
BU, Biomedical Engineering, Neurophotonics Center
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing IAT in people with Attachment Disorder, run by Boston University Charles River Campus at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 7 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 6 Nov 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Meryem Yücel, PhD (617-353-1181, mayucel@bu.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Feasibility of IAT intervention (time frame: baseline through 12 weeks). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 6 Nov 2026.