The effect of adult attachment and attachment to God on stress reactivity and recovery

This study examined how the physiological and psychological stress responses varied as a function of adult attachment and attachment to God. The interaction between adult attachment and attachment to God on the stress response was also assessed. Further analyses were conducted to assess sex differences in the stress response, adult attachment, and attachment to God. In this laboratory study, the heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) of 77 participants was monitored during a 15-minute baseline phase, during the administration of a mental arithmetic stressor, and during a 15-minute recovery phase. Results indicated that those with categorically measured insecure adult attachment demonstrated significantly higher levels of recovery systolic BP at 12.5 minutes into the recovery phase, and significantly higher levels of diastolic BP taken in the first 12.5 minutes in the recovery phase, compared to those with secure attachment. Although the remaining physiological reactivity measures were not statistically significant, individuals with insecure adult attachment demonstrated higher systolic BP and diastolic BP levels at every point of measurement throughout the entire laboratory session and higher HR levels on six out of the seven measures in the recovery phase, which was suggestive of clinical significance. Additionally, those with higher levels of continuously measured image of other demonstrated significantly higher levels of systolic BP reactivity and diastolic BP reactivity, following the stressor, than those with lower levels of image of other. Finally, while males and females demonstrated very similar physiological stress reactivity measures, females reported significantly higher levels of subjective psychological anxiety following the stressor than males, and males demonstrated significantly higher levels of insecure attachment to God than females. The implications of these findings were discussed.