Adult attachment and social support interact to reduce psychological but not cortisol responses to stress

Abstract

Objective: Adult attachment has been suggested to mediate the effect of social support on stress protection. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of adult attachment and social support on psychological and endocrine responses to psychosocial stress.Methods: Sixty-three healthy men who were married or cohabiting were randomly assigned to receive either instructed social support from their partner or no social support before being exposed to a standardized psychosocial stressor (Trier Social Stress Test). Attachment was determined using the Experiences in Close Relationships -Revised questionnaire (ECR-R). State anxiety, mood, and salivary cortisol levels were repeatedly assessed before and after stress.Results: Secure attachment was associated with stronger decreases in state anxiety levels following stress exposure. More importantly, the combination of social support and secure attachment exhibited the lowest anxiety levels after stress (interaction effect). Social support alone reduced cortisol responses to stress, whereas secure attachment did not influence cortisol concentrations.Conclusion: This first study on the interaction of adult attachment and social support in terms of psychological and endocrine stress responses concurs with previous studies suggesting an important protective role of attachment for psychological stress responsiveness. However, attachment did not directly moderate cortisol responses to acute stress. ABSTRACT Objective:Adult attachment has been suggested to mediate the effect of social support on stress protection.The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of adult attachment and social support on psychological and endocrine responses to psychosocial stress. Methods:Sixty-three healthy men who were married or cohabiting were randomly assigned to receive either instructed social support from their partner or no social support before being exposed to a standardized psychosocial stressor (Trier Social Stress Test). Attachment was determined using the Experiences in Close Relationships -Revised questionnaire (ECR-R). State anxiety, mood, and salivary cortisol levels were repeatedly assessed before and after stress. Results:Secure attachment was associated with stronger decreases in state anxiety levels following stress exposure. More importantly, the combination of social support and secure attachment exhibited the lowest anxiety levels after stress (interaction effect). Social support alone reduced cortisol responses to stress, whereas secure attachment did not influence cortisol concentrations. Conclusion:This first study on the interaction of adult attachment and social support in terms of psychological and endocrine stress responses concurs with previous studies suggesting an important protective role of attachment for psychological stress responsiveness. However, attachment did not directly moderate cortisol responses to acute stress.

Potential Predictors Of Perceived Stress In Helping Profession

“…Attachment avoidance was, however, not associated with self-reported distress, but it was related to high-frequency hart rate variability, which is used as a marker of autonomic function during acute stress reaction. In line with these findings, Ditzen et al (2008) also described relationship between secure attachment and stress. Combination of secure attachment and social support was related to lower perceived stress, however, it did not affect the levels of hormone cortisol.…”

“…Third hypothesis proposes, that attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance and self-care self-regulation could be mediators between pain and perceived stress. Research shows (Maunder, 2006;Ditzen, 2008) that the effect of attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance on perceived stress could vary, therefore we propose two mediation models.…”

Oxytocin, vasopressin, and human social behavior

“…Notably, in an initial double-blind, placebo-controlled within-subject design on the effects of OT on attachment, we were recently able to show that a single intranasal administration of 24 IU OT increases the subjective experience of attachment security (assessed with an adult attachment projective picture test) in male students classified with an insecure attachment pattern [20]. As secure attachment is associated with lower stress reactivity and a better ability to socially interact [40], and mediates the implications of early trauma, namely on psychopathology [128], the neuroendocrine mechanisms of attachment may have direct clinical implications for several mental and developmental disorders (see clinical perspectives).…”

The Role of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Perceived Stress: Preliminary Evidence for the Moderating Role of Attachment Style

“…Of particular relevance to the present discussion, attachment styles formed in childhood can influence interpersonal functioning and emotional regulation skills that have implications for stress responsiveness in adolescence and adulthood (Cassidy, 2000;Dozier, Stovall, & Albus, 1999). Research has shown that secure attachment has been associated with greater stress resiliency than insecure attachment, which has been positively correlated with increased stress vulnerability (Ditzen et al, 2008;Gallo & Matthews, 2006;Hawkins, Howard, & Oyebode, 2007).…”