Contentment Duration Mediates the Associations between Anxious Attachment Style and Psychological Distress.

Sin Man Ng,Wai Kai Hou

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00258

Abstract

Relatively little is known about the emotional processes underlying the association between adult attachment styles and psychological distress. This study aims to examine the role of contentment in terms of intensity and duration in the positive associations between anxious and avoidant attachment styles and psychological distress. A sample of 284 Chinese university students completed a self-reported questionnaire on attachment styles, intensity and duration of contentment, and anxiety and depressive symptoms. Structural equation modeling revealed that duration of contentment mediated the positive associations of anxious attachment style with anxiety symptoms [β = 0.05, p = 0.004; BC 95% CI (0.02,0.11)] and depressive symptoms [β = 0.04, p = 0.03; BC 95% CI (0.003,0.09)], model fit: χ2(259) = 455.06, p < 0.001, CFI = 0.95, TLI = 0.94, RMSEA = 0.05, SRMR = 0.07. Participants with higher anxious attachment style were more likely to report shorter duration of contentment, which was, in turn, associated with higher anxiety and depressive symptoms. The results suggest a positive emotional pathway underlying the association between anxious attachment style and psychological distress. Implications based on the findings are discussed.

Highlights

Adult attachment styles, namely anxious and avoidant attachment styles, have been found to impair development of emotional bonding in intimate relationships (Hazan and Shaver, 1987) and psychological functioning (Dozier et al, 2008)
This study aims to investigate whether and how contentment as an affective mechanism modulates the positive associations between adult attachment styles and psychological distress
To perform the item parceling, Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with oblique rotation were conducted on the items of each of the above variables

Summary

Introduction

Namely anxious and avoidant attachment styles, have been found to impair development of emotional bonding in intimate relationships (Hazan and Shaver, 1987) and psychological functioning (Dozier et al, 2008). The positive attachment-distress link was reduced by trait mechanisms including dispositional hope (Shorey et al, 2003), dispositional empathy and forgiveness (Burnette et al, 2009), and self-esteem (Roberts et al, 1996). Other possible mechanisms underlying the attachment-distress link await further investigation. Adult attachment theory suggests that attachment strategies could meet attachment needs through affective mechanisms (Mikulincer and Shaver, 2003, 2007). Positive emotions contribute to higher fulfillment of life (Fredrickson and Losada, 2005) and lower psychological distress (Davidson et al, 2010). Among discrete positive emotional states, contentment is a consistent component

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