An updated meta-analysis of the relation between adult attachment style and working alliance.

Objective: Previous meta-analyses have shown that client-rated working alliance is negatively correlated with attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance. The purpose of this study is to provide an updated meta-analysis of the relation between alliance and the two dimensions of attachment insecurity. Method: Random effects models were used to examine the relation between the working alliance and attachment anxiety and the relation between the working alliance and attachment avoidance. Results: The overall relation between alliance and attachment anxiety was r = -.09 (p = .01, k = 33, I2 = 43.7%). The overall relation between alliance and attachment avoidance was r = -.13 (p < .001, k = 33, I2 = 44.7%). There was no evidence that these relations varied across study characteristics such as client race or the number of therapists in the study. Conclusion: The results support the negative relations between client-rated alliance and both dimensions of client-rated attachment insecurity. Further research is needed to identify the factors that moderate this relationship, using a more diverse sample of study characteristics and a wider range of measures.

Genetic Contributions on Attachment in Emerging Adults: Cumulative Effects of Serotonergic Polymorphisms.

Attachment in emerging adults is closely intertwined with emotion regulation, stress coping, and social bonding during the transition from childhood to early adulthood. Due to the critical roles of serotonin in these mental functions, this research explored whether the cumulative genetic effects of serotonergic polymorphisms are associated with individual differences and contextual variations in attachment dimensions over time in emerging adults. Study 1 utilized a cross-sectional design in college students (N = 1088, mean age = 22.71 ± 2.86 years). The results showed significant correlations between a higher cumulative genetic score and elevated levels of attachment anxiety and avoidance. Study 2 employed a three-wave longitudinal design in a cohort of freshmen (N = 523, mean age = 19.54 ± 1.86 years at wave 1). The results demonstrated that a higher genetic score was associated with both higher levels and greater variability in attachment dimensions compared to a lower genetic score. These findings suggest that the cumulative genetic effects of serotonergic polymorphisms contribute to individual differences and dynamic processes in attachment dimensions in emerging adults.

The Associations Between Attachment Insecurity and Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder or Problematic Pornography Use: The Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation Difficulties.

Compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD) was previously considered an attachment disorder, while emotion dysregulation was thought to potentially be a key characteristic of it. However, this theoretical model was not tested in previous empirical research. In our cross-sectional study, we tested whether emotional regulation (ER) difficulties can be adopted as an explanatory mechanism for the relationships between attachment avoidance and anxiety, as well as CSBD and its most prevalent behavioral presentation-problematic pornography use (PPU). Participants (n = 1002; Mage = 50.49 years, SD = 13.32; men: 50.2%) completed an online survey regarding the investigated variables. In mediation analyses, attachment avoidance and anxiety were treated as simultaneous predictors, ER difficulties as a mediating variable, with CSBD/PPU severity as dependent variables. Emotion regulation difficulties and attachment anxiety had a direct positive effect on both CSBD and PPU. The direct effect of attachment avoidance on PPU was non-significant, and significant for CSBD depending on the measure used. Moreover, all the relationships between both insecure attachment dimensions and CSBD/PPU symptom severity were at least partially mediated by ER difficulties. Our results corroborate the theoretical claim that ER difficulties may be a useful framework for explaining the impact of attachment insecurity on CSBD/PPU. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

Insecure Attachment and Depressive Symptoms among a Large Sample of Chinese Young Adults: The Mediating Role of Positive and Negative Self-Compassion.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to explore the relationship between insecure attachment (attachment anxiety and avoidance) and depressive symptoms in Chinese young adults as well as the mediating roles of positive and negative self-compassion. METHODS: An online survey was administered among college students in mainland China. This involved their completion of questionnaires encompassing socio-demographic details, attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, self-compassion, and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Attachment anxiety and avoidance exhibited connections with depressive symptoms through increased negative self-compassion and decreased positive self-compassion. Attachment anxiety was associated with depressive symptoms primarily through the mediating effect of negative self-compassion. Conversely, attachment avoidance was related to depressive symptoms mainly through the mediating role of positive self-compassion. CONCLUSIONS: Attachment anxiety exerted a slightly stronger influence on negative self-compassion, whereas attachment avoidance exhibited a more prominent impact on positive self-compassion. Despite these differences, both attachment styles were comparable in their overall influence on depressive symptoms. This revelation provides fresh insights into the relationship between insecure attachment and depressive symptoms among young adults, underscoring the importance for intervention program development.

Impostor leader and knowledge hiding: Attachment avoidance as underlying mechanism.

Impostorism and knowledge-hiding behaviors negatively impact employees and organizational performance. This study examines the association between impostor leaders and knowledge hiding (evasive hiding, playing dumb, and rationalized hiding). Attachment avoidance is discussed as a mediator between impostor leaders and knowledge-hiding. For quantitative analyses, this study collected the data from 429 individuals with two time lags by sharing the survey instrument link on different organizations' randomly selected official media pages. After obtaining approval from the administrators of these pages, leaders and subordinates from these organizations were asked to participate in the study. The partial least squares structural equation modeling method is employed with Smartpls-4 software for data analyses. The findings indicate that impostor leaders promote knowledge hiding in subordinates. However, impostor leaders highly promote rationalized hiding behavior in subordinates. Attachment avoidance mediates the relationship between the impostor leader and knowledge-hiding behaviors. However, the highest mediation relationship exists between an impostor leader and playing dumb behavior in subordinates. This study strengthens the generalizability of the social exchange theory. The implications mentioned in this study are beneficial in understanding and dealing with the Impostorism and knowledge-hiding phenomena.

Sex Differences in the Relationship Between School Bullying Victimization and Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: The Roles of Insecure Attachment.

School bullying victimization is a highly concerning issue that can lead to a range of negative outcomes. Despite the research showing a significant association between bullying victimization and complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD), the internal mechanisms with its two components (i.e., posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms [PTSD] and disorders of self-organization symptoms [DSO]) remain unclear. Previous studies have indicated that attachment style may influence the development of CPTSD symptoms and that there may be sex differences in attachment styles. Thus, the present study aims to examine the mediating role of insecure attachment between school bullying victimization and CPTSD symptoms in males and females. The study assessed bullying victimization, attachment orientation, and CPTSD (i.e., PTSD symptoms and DSO symptoms) symptoms in 675 college students (65.2% females; Mage = 19.6, SD = 1.34) from China who had reported bullying experiences at two different time points, 6 months apart. For females, school bullying victimization predicted PTSD and DSO symptoms through attachment anxiety and only predicted DSO symptoms through attachment avoidance. For males, we found that school bullying victimization predicted PTSD symptoms through attachment avoidance. These findings suggest that attachment is critical in understanding how school bullying victimization may lead to CPTSD symptoms among individuals of different sexes.

Primary and Secondary Psychopathic Traits: Investigating the Role of Attachment and Experiences of Shame.

Primary and secondary psychopathic traits have been documented in the general population and previous research has shown their link to adult insecure attachment and shame. However, there has been a gap in the literature examining the specific role of attachment avoidance and anxiety, and experiences of shame in the expression of these psychopathic traits. This study aimed to explore the associations between the attachment dimensions of anxiety and avoidance, in addition to characterological, behavioral and body shame with primary and secondary psychopathic traits. A non-clinical sample of 293 adults (M age= 30.77, SD = 12.64; 34% males) was recruited and completed an online battery of questionnaires. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that demographic variables (age and gender) explained the largest variance for primary psychopathic traits, while the attachment dimensions (anxiety and avoidance) explaining the largest variance for secondary psychopathic traits. Characterological shame had a direct and indirect effect on both primary and secondary psychopathic traits. The findings highlight the need to examine psychopathic traits in community samples as a multidimensional construct, with a particular focus on also assessing attachment dimensions and shame subtypes.

Relationships between Attachment Style, Emotional Self-Disclosure, and Quality of Life among Young Breast Cancer Survivors: A Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVES: This investigation aims to explore relationships between adult attachment, emotional self-disclosure, and quality of life (QoL). DATA SOURCES: The study sample completed the Chinese versions of the Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory, the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast Scale, and the Distress Disclosure Index between October 2021 and March 2022. The relationships between adult attachment, emotional self-disclosure, and QoL were investigated using a multiple mediation effects test and structural equation modeling. CONCLUSION: Attachment anxiety and avoidance were risk factors for young Chinese breast cancer survivors' emotional self-disclosure and QoL. Emotional self-disclosure mediates the association between attachment anxiety or avoidance and QoL. Assessing and easing attachment anxiety and avoidance may improve the emotional self-disclosure and QoL of young breast cancer survivors. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: This study confirms that adult attachment plays an important role in young breast cancer patients' adaptation to the disease and that high adult anxiety and avoidance levels can significantly reduce emotional self-disclosure and QoL in young breast cancer survivors. Identifying attachment patterns can help caregivers better understand patients' responses, adaptation, and treatment adherence to cancer, thereby helping caregivers develop targeted and personalized cancer care practice programs or psychotherapy interventions to improve patients' physical and mental health outcomes.

An attachment perspective on couple interaction: Helping couples signal needs clearly and respond appropriately.

Attachment theory provides some important insights into couple relationships, including highlighting the importance of communicating one's needs clearly while also having a partner who is properly attuned and appropriately responsive to those needs. The purpose of this study was to provide an initial empirical examination of the signal-response dynamic. More specifically, we used data from 63 couples to examine the efficacy (in terms of psychophysiological arousal and feelings toward their partner) of a micro-intervention designed to help couples improve their signaling and responding when compared to a seminatural condition where the discussion more closely resembled how couples interact at home. We also explored the emotional experience of participants in various signaling and responding roles. Overall, we found preliminary evidence for addressing signaling and responding dynamics. We also found evidence that emotional experience varied according to signaling or responding roles. These findings have important potential clinical implications, which we discuss in depth.

Close(d) to you? Avoidant attachment is associated with attenuated pupil responsivity to social stimuli.

Insecure attachment is thought to impair romantic relationships, presumably also contributing to mental health problems. Previous research has suggested a link to biased automatic processing of social information, potentially reflected in pupil dilation responses. To address this hypothesis, 37 adults were presented with attachment-related, emotional pictures of erotic couples, everyday couples, or interpersonal violence after assessment with the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale. Considerable variation in self-reported attachment behaviors regarding both attachment anxiety and avoidance was observed in our sample. Overall, pupil dilation was most pronounced during viewing of erotica and violence-related pictures. Relative to nature pictures as control, attachment avoidance was associated with attenuated pupillary responses to social content. However, this was not significant with erotica. For pictures of violence, this avoidant bias was also evident in reduced subjective arousal. In contrast, attachment anxiety was unrelated to differential pupil dilation. Our findings, although preliminary, suggest that previous attachment-related experiences may bias the processing of social stimuli, which in turn may be reflected in altered patterns of pupillary responses.

Romantic attachment security buffers the effect of stress on anxiety in college students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background and objectives: The stressors of the COVID-19 pandemic spurred alarming levels of stress and anxiety in college students. It is important to identify factors that attenuate the negative effect of stress on anxiety. Framed by the attachment diathesis-stress process perspective, this study examined how the two dimensions of insecurity in romantic attachment-attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance-buffered the effect of stress on anxiety in a population of college students during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Design and methods: The study employed cross-sectional and correlation designs and used an online survey to gather self-report data from a sample of 453 college students. Data were collected from March 15, 2020, to February 16, 2021. Results: Anxiety, stress, and the two insecurity dimensions were all mutually correlated with one another. Multiple regression analysis revealed that as the level of attachment anxiety increased, the association of stress and anxiety turned stronger. Conclusions: The findings suggest that targeting attachment insecurity may prove to be fruitful when helping college students effectively regulate stress to lessen levels of anxiety.

Internalized homonegativity moderates the association between attachment avoidance and emotional intimacy among same-sex male couples.

Introduction: The present study aimed to examine dyadic associations between attachment insecurity and emotional intimacy in same-sex male couples, and to investigate whether and how each partner's internalized homonegativity (IH) moderated these associations. Methods: The sample included 138 same-sex male couples. Both dyad members completed self-report measures of attachment insecurity, emotional intimacy, and IH. The actor-partner interdependence model with moderation analysis was applied. Results: Indicated that higher levels of actor's and partner's attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance were associated with lower actor's emotional intimacy. IH moderated the partner effects of attachment avoidance on emotional intimacy. The partner's higher attachment avoidance was associated with one's own lower emotional intimacy at low (but not high) levels of one's own IH and at high (but not low) levels of the partner's IH. Discussion: Findings suggest that the partner's attachment avoidance may differently affect one's own emotional intimacy depending on the IH levels of both dyad members. Helping partnered sexual minority men decrease attachment insecurity while recognizing their own and their partners' IH may promote relationship quality.

The Mediating Role of Insecure Attachment in the Gap in Parenthood Desire between Lesbian and Gay Individuals and Their Heterosexual Counterparts.

Previous studies have shown that lesbian and gay (LG) individuals, in comparison to their heterosexual counterparts, tend to report lower levels of parenthood desire. While numerous variables have been suggested to explain this gap in parenthood aspirations, no study has investigated the mediating role of avoidant attachment in the association between sexual orientation and parenthood desire. For that purpose, a sample of 790 cisgender Israelis aged 18-49 years (M = 28.27, SD = 4.76) was recruited using convenience sampling. Among the participants, 345 self-reported as predominantly or exclusively lesbian or gay and 445 self-reported as exclusively heterosexual. Participants completed online questionnaires assessing their sociodemographic characteristics, parenthood desire, and avoidant and anxious attachment styles. Mediation analyses were performed using the PROCESS macro, and the results revealed that LG individuals reported lower parenthood desire, higher avoidant attachment, and higher anxious attachment compared to heterosexual individuals. Moreover, avoidant attachment had a significant mediation effect in the association between sexual orientation and parenthood desire. The findings suggest that LG individuals are more likely to report higher avoidant attachment due to possible rejection and discrimination from family members and peers, and this may be associated with lower parenthood desire. The results contribute to the growing body of research on family formation and parenthood aspirations among LG individuals, and specifically studies aimed at delineating the factors that contribute to the gap in parenthood aspirations between sexual minority individuals and their heterosexual counterparts.

Attachment and family functioning across three generations.

The present study explores the transmission of attachment and family functioning across three generations. It is based on a sample of 460 female emerging adults (aged 18-26), their mothers (N = 440), fathers (N = 368), maternal grandmothers (N = 224), and maternal grandfathers (N = 113). Participants self-assessed their attachment anxiety and avoidance using the Relationship Style Questionnaire and evaluated the functioning of their families of origin using the Family Adaptation and Cohesion Scale-IV. The results reveal two mechanisms, both of which have a small but significant effect on the development of attachment across generations. The first operates via direct trans-generational transmission of attachment from parent to child, mainly involving the mother-child dyad, while the second operates through primary family functioning, especially balanced family cohesion, but also enmeshment and chaos in the case of attachment avoidance. The findings highlight the importance of including content related to attachment and family functioning in intervention programs.

Association between attachment and hoarding behavior: Mediation of anthropomorphism and moderation of hoarding beliefs among Chinese adolescents.

The impact of insecure attachment on hoarding behavior (HB) has been supported by empirical evidence. However, scant literature has focused on how anthropomorphism (attributing human-like traits, characteristics, or emotions to nonhuman objects) and hoarding beliefs (motivations for ownership) affect the relationship between insecure attachment and HB, especially among Chinese adolescents. Using a cross-sectional study, we reserved 903 participants (561 males, 342 females, M = 20.20, SD = 1.85, age range = 18-24 years) to complete self-report questionnaires about close relationships, anthropomorphism, saving beliefs, and saving inventory to investigate the mediating role of anthropomorphism and the moderating role of hoarding beliefs in the relationship between insecure attachment and HB. Attachment anxiety and avoidance had a positive relationship with HB, and anthropomorphism is a mediating factor in the association between attachment anxiety and HB. In addition, hoarding beliefs moderated the relationship between attachment anxiety and HB. This study further elaborated on the relationships between insecure attachment, anthropomorphism, hoarding beliefs, and HB, which might shed some light on adolescent clinical interventions.

Problematic internet use and attachment styles among adolescents in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Problematic Internet use (PIU) remains a significant social concern in Japan and across the globe. Numerous studies have been conducted to examine the prevalence of PIU, and its association with lifestyle habits and mental health status. To the best of our knowledge, few studies have examined the association between parental attachment and PIU in Japan. Furthermore, preventive measures in Japan have primarily targeted adolescents via education. Therefore, in this study we explored the association between PIU and attachment styles among adolescents to seek a new approach for the development of appropriate, effective measures. METHODS: A self-administered survey was conducted at one private (in 2018) and two public junior high schools (in 2020) in Kagawa Prefecture, western Japan. We used the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), the Experiences in Close Relationships-Relationship Structures (ECR-RS) questionnaire, and the Birleson Depression Self-Rating Scale for Children (DSRS-C). Multiple regression analysis was performed to examine the association between IAT scores and attachment styles. RESULTS: Of 1,413 participants (grades 7-9; 700 boys and 713 girls), 39% of the students showed possible PIU and 3% showed PIU. Students with PIU tended to sleep for shorter durations, access the Internet for long hours, and have a poor mental health status (p < 0.01). PIU was significantly associated with insecure attachment (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of our study imply that improving attachment styles and developing secure attachment between the child and parent might help mitigate and/or prevent PIU.

Applying Attachment Theory to Explain Boundary-spanning Behavior: The Role of Organizational Support Climate / La utilización de la teoría del apego para explicar el comportamiento de expansión de límites: el papel del clima de apoyo organizativo

Boundary spanning has been proven to have positive implications for innovation performance; yet, some individuals are less boundary-spanning than others. Drawing on the attachment theory and organizational support theory, this study develops a multi-level theoretical model to investigate how individuals’ attachment insecurity influences boundary-spanning behavior through self-efficacy and the moderating role of organizational support climate. To validate the proposed model, we adopted a survey research, and collected data from NPD project teams in China. The results revealed that both insecure attachment styles were associated with lower levels of individual boundary-spanning behavior, and self-efficacy partially mediated these relationships. Moreover, organizational support climate played a moderating role in the relationship between attachment anxiety and boundary-spanning behavior. With a high level of support climate, the negative impact of attachment anxiety on boundary-spanning behavior was weakened. This elucidates the role of individual affective motivation and team shared perceptions in shaping individual externally focused behavior.(AU)

Se ha demostrado que la expansión de límites tiene implicaciones positivas para la aplicación de la innovación, si bien algunas personas tienen menos desarrollada dicha característica. Partiendo de la teoría del apego y de la del apoyo organizativo, este estudio desarrolla un modelo teórico multinivel para investigar cómo influye la inseguridad del apego en el comportamiento de expansión de límites por medio de la autoeficacia y el rol moderador del clima de apoyo organizativo. Para validar el modelo propuesto adoptamos una investigación de encuesta, recogiendo datos de los equipos del proyecto NPD de China. Los resultados ponen de manifiesto que los estilos de apego inseguro están asociados con un menor comportamiento de expansión de límites y que la autoeficacia mediatiza parcialmente estas relaciones. Además, el clima de apoyo organizativo juega un papel moderador de la relación entre la ansiedad de apego y el comportamiento de expansión de límites. La repercusión negativa de la ansiedad de apego en el comportamiento de expansión de límites se atenúa cuando el clima de apoyo es elevado. Todo esto aclara el papel de la motivación afectiva y de la percepción compartida en equipo en la formación del comportamiento individual dirigido al exterior.(AU)

Negative parenting styles and social adjustment of university students: a moderated chain mediation model.

This study aimed to explore the relationship between parenting styles and the social adjustment of university students as well as the mediating effects of attachment avoidance and friendship quality. We further examined the moderating role of gender. This study used convenience sampling to recruit 501 Chinese university students to complete the Chinese version of the Negative Parenting subscale of EMBU, Attachment Avoidance Scale, Friendship Quality Questionnaire, and Social Adjustment Scale. SPSS 24.0 and the Process 3.5 macro program were used to carry out descriptive statistical and correlation analyses and mediating effect and moderated chain-mediating effect tests on the data. The analyses revealed that negative parenting styles significantly negatively predicted social adjustment in university students. Attachment avoidance mediated the relationship between negative parenting styles and social adjustment in university students, and friendship quality mediated the relationship between negative parenting styles and social adjustment in university students. Attachment avoidance and friendship quality played a chain-mediating role in the relationship between negative parenting styles and university students' social adjustment. Gender moderated the effect of negative parenting style on friendship quality among university students. These results show how negative parenting styles affect college students' social adjustment and its underlying mechanisms in the context of China's collectivist culture and high power distance and further reveal the gender differences involved, providing insights to better understand the factors influencing college students' social adjustment.

Attached but Lonely: Emotional Intelligence as a Mediator and Moderator between Attachment Styles and Loneliness.

(1) Background: The aim of the presented research was to examine if emotional intelligence (EI) could be regarded as a mechanism mediating the relationship between attachment and loneliness. The authors also tested the moderating role of this variable, investigating whether EI was a protective factor against loneliness in insecurely attached individuals. (2) Methods: In two cross-sectional studies (N = 246 in Study 1 and N = 186 in Study 2), participants completed a set of questionnaires measuring attachment styles, trait emotional intelligence, and loneliness. (3) Results: Both studies revealed a consistent pattern of results, indicating a dual role of EI in the relationships between attachment styles and loneliness. Firstly, EI was a mediator between attachment and loneliness-both anxious and avoidant attachment were associated with a low level of EI, which in turn translated into increased loneliness. Secondly, EI moderated the relationship between anxious attachment and loneliness. It turned out that the strength of the positive relationship between anxious attachment and loneliness decreased with an increase in EI. (4) Conclusions: These results point to EI as an underlying mechanism between insecure attachment and loneliness. They also suggest that EI is an important psychological resource protecting anxiously attached individuals against a subjective sense of social isolation.

Unraveling the effect of ambivalence over emotional expression on subjective wellbeing in Chinese college students in romantic relationships: A multiple mediation model.

The sudden and unpredictable outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has severely threatened young adults' physical and mental health and damaged the quality of relationships. As a critical stage of development, their well-being is more vulnerable to adverse environments which may lead to profound negative long-life mental health status. The current study aimed to investigate the mediation effects of fear of intimacy and attachment avoidance in the association between ambivalence over emotional expression and subjective wellbeing. A sample of 555 Chinese college students who are currently involved in romantic relationships (Mean age = 19.69, SD age = 1.36, 52% females) completed anonymous questionnaires regarding ambivalence over emotional expression, fear of intimacy, attachment avoidance, and subjective wellbeing. The findings revealed that ambivalence over emotional expression can predict negative subjective wellbeing of college students in romantic relationships significantly, and fear of intimacy and attachment avoidance played a sequentially mediating role in the association between ambivalence over emotional expression and subjective wellbeing. Surprisingly, when considering attachment avoidance independently, we found it had an inhibitory action on the link between ambivalence over emotional expression and subjective wellbeing. The present study contributes to a better understanding of how ambivalence over emotional expression can decrease subjective wellbeing, and also has implications for the intervention of students' subjective wellbeing and closeness during the period of COVID-19.