Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2021 Jul;77(7):1521-1536.
doi: 10.1002/jclp.23156. Epub 2021 May 20.

A meta-analytic review of the relationship between attachment styles and posttraumatic growth

Amanda Gleeson  1 , David Curran  1 , Rachel Reeves  1 , Martin J Dorahy  2 , Donncha Hanna  1
Affiliations
Review

A meta-analytic review of the relationship between attachment styles and posttraumatic growth

Amanda Gleeson et al. J Clin Psychol. 2021 Jul.

Abstract

Objective: The present review aimed to examine the relationship between attachment styles and posttraumatic growth in adults exposed to traumatizing events.

Method: A systematic literature search resulted in the inclusion of 14 studies in the review. Four correlational meta-analyses of the relationship between the attachment styles of secure, dismissive, preoccupied, and fearful, and posttraumatic growth, were conducted.

Results: These revealed a significant small positive relationship between secure attachment and posttraumatic growth (r = 0.21, p < 0.001); a significant small negative relationship between dismissive attachment and posttraumatic growth (r = -0.12, p < 0.001), and a weak relationship between preoccupied attachment and posttraumatic growth (r = -0.04, p = 0.235), and fearful attachment and posttraumatic growth (r = 0.08, p = 0.248).

Conclusions: The relationship between attachment styles and posttraumatic growth is modest and may be better explained by other variables. Nonetheless, findings provide useful information for clinicians regarding the potential small impact of attachment style following traumatizing exposure. Implications for future research are highlighted with respect to methodological rigor and the role of other potentially influential variables.

Keywords: PTSD; adults; attachment; posttraumatic growth; posttraumatic stress disorder; trauma.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

REFERENCES

    1. Adams, G. C. , Wrath, A. J. , & Meng, X. (2018). The relationship between adult attachment and mental health care utilization: A systematic review. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 63(10), 651-660.
    1. American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, (5th ed.)., Washington, DC: Author.
    1. Arikan, G. , Karanci, N. (2012). Attachment and Coping as Facilitators of Posttraumatic Growth in Turkish University Students Experiencing Traumatic Events. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 13(2), 209-225.
    1. Arikan, G. , Stopa, L. , Carnelley, K. B. , & Karl, A. (2016). The associations between adult attachment, posttraumatic symptoms, and posttraumatic growth. Anxiety, Stress, & Coping, 29(1), 1-20.
    1. Bartholomew, K. , & Horowitz, L. M. (1991). Attachment styles among young adults: A test of a four-category model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 61, 226-244.

LinkOut - more resources