Adverse Chıldhood Experıences and Adult Attachment Styles Across Periodontal Health Status: A Comparative Study Of Periodontitis, Gingivitis and Healthy Controls

Zeliha Muslu; Yavuz Sarı; Aslı Enzel Koç

doi:10.7126/cumudj.1936359

EN TR

Adverse Chıldhood Experıences and Adult Attachment Styles Across Periodontal Health Status: A Comparative Study Of Periodontitis, Gingivitis and Healthy Controls

Abstract

Objective: The relationship between periodontal diseases and psychosocial factors is being investigated with increasing interest. However, studies examining the association among negative childhood experiences and attachment styles in adulthood, as well as periodontal health, are limited. This study aims to investigate the relationships between childhood trauma and attachment styles in adulthood in patients who are periodontally healthy and those with gingivitis and periodontitis. Materials and Methods: A total of 93 participants aged 18-65 years were recruited from a university dental clinic and categorized into three groups: periodontitis (n=30), gingivitis (n=33), and periodontally healthy controls (n=30). Periodontal status was assessed using clinical parameters, while psychosocial variables were evaluated using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and the Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory-II (ECR-II). Results: Attachment anxiety differed across groups and was higher in the gingivitis group than in healthy controls, whereas attachment avoidance did not vary by periodontal status. Physical abuse scores were elevated in the periodontitis group, while other childhood trauma dimensions showed no significant group differences. Within-group analyses showed different patterns across periodontal status: childhood trauma was associated with attachment anxiety in the periodontitis group and with attachment avoidance in the healthy control group, and the strength of the association between childhood trauma and attachment anxiety also differed significantly between the gingivitis and healthy control groups. Conclusion: These results highlight the imperative for doctors to incorporate psychosocial evaluations, particularly childhood trauma histories and adult attachment styles, into periodontal treatment. Taking this kind of multidisciplinary view may improve patient compliance and get the best long-term treatment results.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

The authors declare that they did not receive any funding, grants, or other support in the preparation of this article.

Ethical Statement

This study was approved by the Sivas Cumhuriyet University Health Sciences Ethics Committee (Decision No: 2025-07/72, Date: 10.07.2025).

Thanks

We thank all patients for their voluntary participation in this research.

Çocukluk Çağında Yaşanan Olumsuz Deneyimler ve Yetişkin Bağlanma Stilleri ile Periodontal Sağlık Durumu Arasındaki İlişki: Periodontitis, Gingivitis ve Sağlıklı Kontrol Gruplarının Karşılaştırmalı Çalışması

Abstract

Amaç: Periodontal hastalıklar ile psikososyal faktörler arasındaki ilişki giderek artan bir ilgiyle araştırılmaktadır. Bununla birlikte, olumsuz çocukluk deneyimleri ile yetişkinlikteki bağlanma stilleri ve periodontal sağlık arasındaki ilişkiyi inceleyen çalışmalar sınırlıdır. Bu çalışma, periodontal olarak sağlıklı, gingivitis ve periodontitisli hastalarda çocukluk travması ile yetişkinlikteki bağlanma stilleri arasındaki ilişkileri araştırmayı amaçlamaktadır. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Üniversite diş kliniğinden 18-65 yaş arası toplam 93 katılımcı alındı ve üç gruba ayrıldı: periodontitis (n=30), gingivitis (n=33) ve periodontal olarak sağlıklı kontrol grubu (n=30). Periodontal durum klinik parametreler kullanılarak değerlendirilirken, psikososyal değişkenler Çocukluk Travması Anketi (CTQ) ve Yakın İlişkilerdeki Deneyimler Envanteri-II (ECR-II) kullanılarak değerlendirildi. Bulgular: Kaygılı bağlanma gruplar arasında farklılık gösterdi ve gingivitis grubunda sağlıklı kontrol grubuna göre daha yüksekti, oysa kaçıngan bağlanma periodontal duruma göre değişmedi. Periodontitis grubunda fiziksel istismar puanları yüksek bulunurken, diğer çocukluk çağı travması boyutlarında gruplar arasında anlamlı bir fark görülmedi. Grup içi analizler, periodontal durum genelinde farklı örüntüler gösterdi: Çocukluk çağı travması, periodontitis grubunda kaygılı bağlanma ile, sağlıklı kontrol grubunda ise kaçıngan bağlanma ile ilişkiliydi ve çocukluk çağı travması ile kaygılı bağlanma arasındaki ilişkinin gücü, gingivitis ve sağlıklı kontrol grupları arasında da anlamlı derecede farklılık gösterdi. Sonuçlar: Bu sonuçlar, doktorların psikososyal değerlendirmeleri, özellikle çocukluk çağı travma öykülerini ve yetişkin bağlanma stillerini, periodontal tedaviye dahil etmelerinin gerekliliğini vurgulamaktadır. Bu tür çok disiplinli bir bakış açısı, hasta uyumunu artırabilir ve en iyi uzun vadeli tedavi sonuçlarını elde etmeyi sağlayabilir.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

Yazarlar, bu makalenin hazırlanması sırasında herhangi bir fon, hibe veya başka bir destek almadıklarını beyan ederler.

Ethical Statement

Bu çalışma, Sivas Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Etik Kurulu tarafından onaylanmıştır (Karar No: 2025-07/72, Tarih: 10.07.2025).

Thanks

Bu araştırmaya gönüllü katılım sağlayan tüm hastalarımıza teşekkür ederiz.

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Periodontics, Dental Public Health

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Zeliha Muslu ^*
0000-0002-7911-9711
Türkiye

Yavuz Sarı
0000-0001-5049-0106
Türkiye

Aslı Enzel Koç
0000-0002-9853-745X
Türkiye

Publication Date

July 1, 2026

Submission Date

April 24, 2026

Acceptance Date

May 11, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 29 Number: 2

DOI

https://doi.org/10.7126/cumudj.1936359

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA94GK48WT

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Muslu, Z., Sarı, Y., & Koç, A. E. (2026). Adverse Chıldhood Experıences and Adult Attachment Styles Across Periodontal Health Status: A Comparative Study Of Periodontitis, Gingivitis and Healthy Controls. Cumhuriyet Dental Journal, 29(2), 194-200. https://doi.org/10.7126/cumudj.1936359

AMA

1.Muslu Z, Sarı Y, Koç AE. Adverse Chıldhood Experıences and Adult Attachment Styles Across Periodontal Health Status: A Comparative Study Of Periodontitis, Gingivitis and Healthy Controls. Cumhuriyet Dent J. 2026;29(2):194-200. doi:10.7126/cumudj.1936359

Chicago

Muslu, Zeliha, Yavuz Sarı, and Aslı Enzel Koç. 2026. “Adverse Chıldhood Experıences and Adult Attachment Styles Across Periodontal Health Status: A Comparative Study Of Periodontitis, Gingivitis and Healthy Controls”. Cumhuriyet Dental Journal 29 (2): 194-200. https://doi.org/10.7126/cumudj.1936359.

EndNote

Muslu Z, Sarı Y, Koç AE (July 1, 2026) Adverse Chıldhood Experıences and Adult Attachment Styles Across Periodontal Health Status: A Comparative Study Of Periodontitis, Gingivitis and Healthy Controls. Cumhuriyet Dental Journal 29 2 194–200.

IEEE

[1]Z. Muslu, Y. Sarı, and A. E. Koç, “Adverse Chıldhood Experıences and Adult Attachment Styles Across Periodontal Health Status: A Comparative Study Of Periodontitis, Gingivitis and Healthy Controls”, Cumhuriyet Dent J, vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 194–200, July 2026, doi: 10.7126/cumudj.1936359.

ISNAD

Muslu, Zeliha - Sarı, Yavuz - Koç, Aslı Enzel. “Adverse Chıldhood Experıences and Adult Attachment Styles Across Periodontal Health Status: A Comparative Study Of Periodontitis, Gingivitis and Healthy Controls”. Cumhuriyet Dental Journal 29/2 (July 1, 2026): 194-200. https://doi.org/10.7126/cumudj.1936359.

JAMA

1.Muslu Z, Sarı Y, Koç AE. Adverse Chıldhood Experıences and Adult Attachment Styles Across Periodontal Health Status: A Comparative Study Of Periodontitis, Gingivitis and Healthy Controls. Cumhuriyet Dent J. 2026;29:194–200.

MLA

Muslu, Zeliha, et al. “Adverse Chıldhood Experıences and Adult Attachment Styles Across Periodontal Health Status: A Comparative Study Of Periodontitis, Gingivitis and Healthy Controls”. Cumhuriyet Dental Journal, vol. 29, no. 2, July 2026, pp. 194-00, doi:10.7126/cumudj.1936359.

Vancouver

1.Zeliha Muslu, Yavuz Sarı, Aslı Enzel Koç. Adverse Chıldhood Experıences and Adult Attachment Styles Across Periodontal Health Status: A Comparative Study Of Periodontitis, Gingivitis and Healthy Controls. Cumhuriyet Dent J. 2026 Jul. 1;29(2):194-200. doi:10.7126/cumudj.1936359