The Relationship between Adult Attachment Styles and Emotional and Cognitive Reactions to Stressful Events

Abstract

The authors review empirical evidence examining the idea that adult attachment styles may play an important role in determining the level of psychological distress that people experience during specific stressful circumstances. The authors also review the strategies they may use for coping with these events. The authors ask whether secure attachment serves as an inner resource in times of stress and whether insecure attachment may be a risk factor that increases vulnerability and distress. Specifically, the authors present data on the ways adult attachment styles seem to affect one's coping and emotional reactions to (1) the terror of personal death, (2) military and war-related stressors, (3) interpersonal losses, (4) personal failure, (5) parenthood-related stressors, and (6) chronic pain.