Attachment and health-related physiological stress processes
Open accessAbstract
People who are more securely attached to close partners show health benefits, but the mechanisms underlying this link are not well specified. We focus on physiological pathways that are potential mediators of the connection between attachment in childhood and adulthood and health and disease outcomes. Growing evidence indicates that attachment insecurity (vs. security) is associated with distinctive physiological responses to stress, including responses involving the HPA, SAM and immune systems, but these responses vary with type of stressor (e.g., social/nonsocial) and contextual factors (e.g., partner's attachment style). Taking this more nuanced perspective will be important for understanding the conditions under which attachment shapes health-related physiological processes as well as downstream health and disease consequences.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
The quality of affective relationships exerts an essential impact on the physiological systems of emotion regulation, allowing a better stress response and greater psychological well-being.
“it seems that the quality of affective relationships exerts an essential impact on the physiological systems of emotion regulation (e.g., the endocrine system, the autonomic nervous system, and the immune system), allowing a better stress response and, thus, greater psychological well-being.”
From Exploring the Association between Attachment Style, Psychological Well-Being, and Relationship Status in Young Adults and Adults—A Cross-Sectional Study (2023) · cites this paper as [61]
The Abstract and Conclusion (page numbers unavailable) link attachment security with HPA, SAM and immune stress responses, while noting that these links vary by context. The section “Attachment Processes and Physiological Stress Responses” says securely attached people generally regulate distress effectively. The paper presents physiological pathways to health as potential mechanisms; it does not establish that relationship quality necessarily produces better stress responses and, in turn, greater psychological well-being. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
Sapolsky, R. M., Romero, L. M., & Munck, A. U. (2000) · Endocrine Reviews · doi:10.1210/edrv.21.1.0389 · Cited by 7,541 · see citing works
Sapolsky, R. M. (2000) · Endocrine Reviews · doi:10.1210/er.21.1.55 · Cited by 7,533 · see citing works
Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review
Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., & Layton, J. B. (2010) · PLoS Medicine · doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316 · Cited by 7,272 · see citing works
Attachment in adulthood: structure, dynamics, and change
(2008) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.45-2903 · Cited by 4,301 · see citing works
Risky families: Family social environments and the mental and physical health of offspring
Repetti, R. L., Taylor, S. E., & Seeman, T. E. (2002) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/0033-2909.128.2.330 · Cited by 2,884 · see citing works
Miller, G. E., Chen, E., & Zhou, E. S. (2007) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/0033-2909.133.1.25 · Cited by 2,467 · see citing works
Miller, G. E., Chen, E., & Parker, K. J. (2011) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/a0024768 · Cited by 1,785 · see citing works
How stress influences the immune response
Padgett, D. A., & Glaser, R. (2003) · Trends in Immunology · doi:10.1016/s1471-4906(03)00173-x · Cited by 1,059 · see citing works
Child development in the context of adversity: Experiential canalization of brain and behavior.
Blair, C., & Raver, C. C. (2012) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037/a0027493 · Cited by 799 · see citing works
Blair, C., Granger, D. A., Willoughby, M., Mills-Koonce, R., Cox, M., Greenberg, M. T., Kivlighan, K. T., Fortunato, C. K., & the FLP Investigators (2011) · Child Development · doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01643.x · Cited by 579 · see citing works
Miller, G. E., & Chen, E. (2010) · Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/0956797610370161 · Cited by 413 · see citing works
Stressful early life experiences and immune dysregulation across the lifespan
Fagundes, C. P., Glaser, R., & Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K. (2013) · Brain, Behavior, and Immunity · doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2012.06.014 · Cited by 371 · see citing works
Chen, E., Miller, G. E., Kobor, M. S., & Cole, S. W. (2011) · Molecular Psychiatry · doi:10.1038/mp.2010.53 · Cited by 340 · see citing works
Close relationship processes and health: Implications of attachment theory for health and disease.
Pietromonaco, P. R., Uchino, B. N., & Schetter, C. D. (2013) · Health Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0029349 · Cited by 335 · see citing works
Self-citationAttachment theory and research: new directions and emerging themes
(2015) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.192100 · Cited by 243 · see citing works
Allostasis and allostatic load in the context of poverty in early childhood
Blair, C., Raver, C. C., Granger, D. A., Mills-Koonce, R., Hibel, L. C., & The Family Life Project Key Investigators (2011) · Development and Psychopathology · doi:10.1017/s0954579411000344 · Cited by 240 · see citing works
Powers, S. I., Pietromonaco, P. R., Gunlicks, M., & Sayer, A. (2006) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.90.4.613 · Cited by 237 · see citing works
Self-citationGunnar, M. R., Mangelsdorf, S. C., Larson, M., & Hertsgaard, L. A. (1989) · Developmental Psychology · doi:10.1037/0012-1649.25.3.355 · Cited by 236 · see citing works
Early adversity and adult health outcomes
Taylor, S. E., Way, B. M., & Seeman, T. E. (2011) · Development and Psychopathology · doi:10.1017/s0954579411000411 · Cited by 235 · see citing works
Diamond, L. M., Hicks, A. M., & Otter-Henderson, K. D. (2008) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.95.2.385 · Cited by 208 · see citing works
Bernard, K., & Dozier, M. (2010) · Developmental Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0020660 · Cited by 167 · see citing works
Physiological evidence for repressive coping among avoidantly attached adults
Diamond, L. M., Hicks, A. M., & Otter-Henderson, K. D. (2006) · Journal of Social and Personal Relationships · doi:10.1177/0265407506062470 · Cited by 153 · see citing works
Predicting adult physical illness from infant attachment: A prospective longitudinal study.
Puig, J., Englund, M. M., Simpson, J. A., & Collins, W. A. (2012) · Health Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0028889 · Cited by 153 · see citing works
Slopen, N., Koenen, K. C., & Kubzansky, L. D. (2012) · Brain, Behavior, and Immunity · doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2011.11.003 · Cited by 151 · see citing works
Roisman, G. I. (2007) · Developmental Psychology · doi:10.1037/0012-1649.43.1.39 · Cited by 136 · see citing works
Attachment avoidance predicts inflammatory responses to marital conflict
Gouin, J.-P., Glaser, R., Loving, T. J., Malarkey, W. B., Stowell, J., Houts, C., & Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K. (2009) · Brain Behavior and Immunity · doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2008.09.016 · Cited by 133 · see citing works
Attachment Anxiety Is Linked to Alterations in Cortisol Production and Cellular Immunity
Jaremka, L. M., Glaser, R., Loving, T. J., Malarkey, W. B., Stowell, J. R., & Kiecolt‐Glaser, J. K. (2013) · Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/0956797612452571 · Cited by 131 · see citing works
Sturge‐Apple, M. L., Davies, P. T., Cicchetti, D., & Manning, L. G. (2011) · Developmental Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0025419 · Cited by 130 · see citing works
Meuwly, N., Bodenmann, G., Germann, J., Bradbury, T. N., Ditzen, B., & Heinrichs, M. (2012) · Journal of Family Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0030356 · Cited by 127 · see citing works
Holland, A. S., & Roisman, G. I. (2010) · Developmental Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0018542 · Cited by 121 · see citing works
Attachment Relationships as Determinants of Physical Health
Maunder, R., & Hunter, J. (2008) · Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry · doi:10.1521/jaap.2008.36.1.11 · Cited by 121 · see citing works
Psychobiological research on attachment
Diamond, L. M., & Fagundes, C. P. (2010) · Journal of Social and Personal Relationships · doi:10.1177/0265407509360906 · Cited by 120 · see citing works
Predictors of Inflammation in U.S. Children Aged 3–16 Years
Dowd, J. B., Zajacova, A., & Aiello, A. E. (2010) · American Journal of Preventive Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2010.05.014 · Cited by 119 · see citing works
Beck, L. A., Pietromonaco, P. R., DeBuse, C. J., Powers, S. I., & Sayer, A. G. (2013) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0033056 · Cited by 111 · see citing works
Self-citationAttachment and emotion in school-aged children.
Borelli, J. L., Crowley, M. J., David, D. H., Sbarra, D. A., Anderson, G. M., & Mayes, L. C. (2010) · Emotion · doi:10.1037/a0018490 · Cited by 109 · see citing works
Attachment Relationships as Determinants of Physical Health
Maunder, R., & Hunter, J. (2022) · Psychodynamic Psychiatry · doi:10.1521/pdps.2022.50.2.360 · Cited by 102 · see citing works
Poverty, Problem Behavior, and Promise
Conradt, E. D., Measelle, J. R., & Ablow, J. C. (2013) · Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/0956797612457381 · Cited by 98 · see citing works
Emotion suppression and mortality risk over a 12-year follow-up
Chapman, B. P., Fiscella, K. A., Kawachi, I. I., Duberstein, P. R., & Muennig, P. A. (2013) · Journal of Psychosomatic Research · doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2013.07.014 · Cited by 93 · see citing works
Does Attachment Get Under the Skin? Adult Romantic Attachment and Cortisol Responses to Stress
Pietromonaco, P. R., DeBuse, C. J., & Powers, S. I. (2013) · Current Directions in Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/0963721412463229 · Cited by 86 · see citing works
Self-citationBlair, C., Berry, D. J., Mills-Koonce, R., & Granger, D. A. (2013) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2013.06.025 · Cited by 85 · see citing works
Father contributions to cortisol responses in infancy and toddlerhood.
Mills-Koonce, R., Family Life Project, Garrett-Peters, P., Barnett, M. A., Granger, D. A., Blair, C., & Cox, M. J. (2010) · Developmental Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0021066 · Cited by 80 · see citing works
Badanes, L. S., Dmitrieva, J., & Watamura, S. E. (2012) · Early Childhood Research Quarterly · doi:10.1016/j.ecresq.2011.05.005 · Cited by 74 · see citing works
Mills-Koonce, R., Wagner, N. J., Willoughby, M. T., Stifter, C. A., Blair, C., Granger, D. A., & The Family Life Project Key Investigators (2014) · Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry · doi:10.1111/jcpp.12289 · Cited by 68 · see citing works
Attachment processes in adult romantic relationships.
Pietromonaco, P. R., & Beck, L. A. (2014) · American Psychological Association eBooks · doi:10.1037/14344-002 · Cited by 63 · see citing works
Self-citationFamily poverty is associated with cytomegalovirus antibody titers in U.S. Children.
Dowd, J. B., Palermo, T., & Aiello, A. E. (2011) · Health Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0025337 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Emotional and adrenocortical regulation in early adolescence
Spangler, G., & Zimmermann, P. (2014) · International Journal of Behavioral Development · doi:10.1177/0165025414520808 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Oskis, A., Loveday, C., Hucklebridge, F. H., Thorn, L., & Clow, A. (2010) · Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry · doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2010.02296.x · Cited by 58 · see citing works
APA handbook of personality and social psychology, Volume 3: Interpersonal relations.
(2014) · American Psychological Association eBooks · doi:10.1037/14344-000 · Cited by 56 · see citing works
Attachment anxiety is related to Epstein–Barr virus latency
Fagundes, C. P., Jaremka, L. M., Glaser, R., Alfano, C. M., Povoski, S. P., Lipari, A. M., Agnese, D. M., Yee, L. D., Carson, W. E., Farrar, W. B., et al. (2014) · Brain Behavior and Immunity · doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2014.04.002 · Cited by 54 · see citing works
Borelli, J. L., West, J. L., Weekes, N. Y., & Crowley, M. J. (2013) · Developmental Psychobiology · doi:10.1002/dev.21107 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
A multi-modal approach to the study of attachment-related distress
Dewitte, M. D., Houwer, J. D., Goubert, L., & Buysse, A. (2010) · Biological Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2010.06.006 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
Kidd, T., Poole, L., Leigh, E. S., Ronaldson, A., Jahangiri, M., & Steptoe, A. (2014) · Journal of Psychosomatic Research · doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2014.06.002 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
Roque, L., Veríssimo, M., Oliveira, T., & Oliveira, R. F. (2011) · Developmental Psychobiology · doi:10.1002/dev.20598 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Attachment, skin deep? Relationships between adult attachment and skin barrier recovery
Robles, T. F., Brooks, K. P., Kane, H. S., & Schetter, C. D. (2012) · International Journal of Psychophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2012.04.007 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Tharner, A., Dierckx, B., Luijk, M. P. C. M., van IJzendoorn, M. H., Bakermans‐Kranenburg, M. J., van Ginkel, J. R., Moll, H. A., Jaddoe, V. W. V., Albert Hofman, D., Hudziak, J. J., et al. (2012) · Psychophysiology · doi:10.1111/psyp.12003 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Kelsay, K., Leung, D. Y. M., Mrazek, D. A., & Klinnert, M. D. (2012) · Developmental Psychobiology · doi:10.1002/dev.21006 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Sagone, E., Commodari, E., Indiana, M. L., & La Rosa, V. L. (2023) · European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education · doi:10.3390/ejihpe13030040 · Cited by 72 · see citing works
“This finding can also be explained by referring to the literature pointing out that relationships are essential in regulating stress [61].”
BackgroundDepression and anxiety predict sex-specific cortisol responses to interpersonal stress
Powers, S. I., Laurent, H. K., Gunlicks-Stoessel, M., Balaban, S., & Bent, E. (2016) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.04.007 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
Self-citation
- Authors
- Pietromonaco, P. R., & Powers, S. I.
- Affiliations
- University of Massachusetts Amherst (US)
- Corresponding author
- Pietromonaco, Paula R
- Venue
- Current Opinion in Psychology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2015-02
- Volume
- 1
- Pages
- 34-39
- ISSN
- 2352-250X (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4341899
- OpenAlex
- W1984011093
- Cited by
- 138
- References
- 56
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 44 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 2
- FWCI
- 1.04
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Current Opinion in Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (R01 CA133908)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Keywords
- attachment, insecure attachment, health, physiological stress response, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, sympathoadrenal system, immune system, social stress, child attachment, disease outcome
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
