The Relationship between Adult Attachment Orientation and Mindfulness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Open accessAbstract
Mindfulness can be measured as an individual trait, which varies between individuals. In recent years, research has investigated the overlap between trait mindfulness and attachment. The aim of the present review and meta-analysis was to investigate the current evidence linking adult attachment dimensions to trait mindfulness dimensions, and to quantitatively synthesize these findings using meta-analyses. A systematic literature search was conducted using five scientific databases of which, upon review, 33 articles met inclusion criteria. Inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed journals and dissertations published in English that relied on quantitative methods using reliable and validated self-report measures where study participants were aged 16 years and older. Random-effects model meta-analytic procedures were used to investigate the relationship between both constructs. Cross-sectional studies found significant negative correlations between adult attachment insecurity, on either dimension (anxiety or avoidance) and both total mindfulness score and all five sub-dimensions of mindfulness (act with awareness, observe, describe, non-reacting, and non-judging), with the exception of a non-significant positive correlation between attachment anxiety and observe. The effect size of the relationships ranged from small to medium. The overall mean effect sizes were moderate (anxiety, r + = .34; avoidance, r + = −.28), with both attachment dimensions associated with lower levels of total mindfulness. Results are discussed in relation to theory and research. Implications for future research include the need to utilize longitudinal design to address causality and mechanisms of the relationship between these constructs.
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The relationships among attachment orientations, rumination, and mindfulness appear to be bidirectional.
“It is important to note that these relationships among attachment orientations, rumination, and mindfulness appear to be bidirectional [68].”
From Being in the moment so you can keep moving forward: Mindfulness and rumination mediate the relationship between attachment orientations and negative conflict styles (2020) · cites this paper as [68]
The paper discusses a *possible* bidirectional relationship between attachment security and mindfulness (section labeled Abstract; page not provided). It also links attachment anxiety with increased rumination, but does not say that rumination has a bidirectional relationship with either attachment orientation or mindfulness. The Discussion says further research is needed to establish directionality. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredAttachment insecurity is associated with lower levels of mindfulness.
“Much research supports the association between attachment orientations and lower levels of mindfulness [61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68].”
Stevenson et al. (2017) meta-analytic study revealed significant negative correlations between mindfulness and both attachment anxiety and avoidance, with slightly larger effect sizes for the relation between mindfulness and attachment anxiety compared to that between mindfulness and attachment avoidance.
“Furthermore, Stevenson et al. (2017) conducted a meta-analytic study and revealed significant negative correlations between mindfulness and both attachment anxiety and avoidance, with slightly larger effect sizes for the relation between mindfulness and attachment anxiety compared to that between mindfulness and attachment avoidance.”
From Mindfulness and attachment security in romantic relationships: The role of emotion regulation as a mediator. (2025) · cites this paper as Stevenson et al., 2017
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- Authors
- Stevenson, J. C., Emerson, L.-M., & Millings, A.
- Affiliations
- University of Sheffield (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Stevenson, Jodie C.
- Venue
- Mindfulness
- Published
- 2017-05-24
- Volume
- 8
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1438-1455
- ISSN
- 1868-8527 (ISSN-L)
- 1868-8535
- PMC
- PMC5693974
- OpenAlex
- W2617982552
- Cited by
- 89
- References
- 90
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 6
- FWCI
- 0.88
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Locations
- Mindfulness (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Lincoln Repository (University of Lincoln) (acceptedVersion)
- White Rose Research Online (University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, University of York) (acceptedVersion)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Griffith Research Online (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- University of Sheffield
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
- Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
- Keywords
- adult attachment, attachment orientation, trait mindfulness, attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, non-judgment, cross-sectional association
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