Attachment anxiety and avoidance in coping with bereavement: two studies
Abstract
Although attachment theory has become one of the primary paradigms for understanding bereavement adaptation, there has been surprisingly little empirical work on this topic. Two studies investigated the role of attachment in coping with the loss of a loved one. Study 1 examined the unique contribution of attachment anxiety and avoidance in prolonged grief symptomatology (PCS) in a sample of 656 recently bereaved young adults. When accounting for demographic factors (age, ethnicity, gender) and loss-related circumstances (relationship to deceased, violent versus natural loss), higher levels of attachment-related anxiety were associated with more PCS but avoidance failed to produce a unique effect. Study 2 investigated the role of attachment insecurities in the context of violent death bereavement. Participants were grouped by those who experienced a violent loss in the past two years (accident, suicide, homicide; n = 191) and a matched control group who had not experienced a loss (n = 191). Individuals with higher levels of attachment anxiety reported worse physical and mental health symptoms. Attachment avoidance was a salient predictor of poor post-bereavement functioning for violent loss survivors but avoidant attachment was not as relevant for nonbe-reaved persons. Results of the second study support the worrisome role of attachment anxiety in the context of coping with bereavement, while also suggesting detrimental effects for avoidance in extreme cases of loss.
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High levels of attachment anxiety are related to PGD.
“Especially high levels of attachment anxiety is related to PGD (Meier et al., 2013).”
From Group-based compassion-focused therapy for prolonged grief symptoms in adults – Results from a randomized controlled trial (2022) · cites this paper as Meier et al., 2013
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A social constructionist account of grief: loss and the narration of meaning.
Neimeyer, R. A., Klass, D., & Dennis, M. R. (2014) · Death Studies · doi:10.1080/07481187.2014.913454 · Cited by 402 · see citing works
Self-citationCurrier, J. M., Irish, J. E. F., Neimeyer, R. A., & Foster, J. D. (2015) · Death Studies · doi:10.1080/07481187.2014.975869 · Cited by 91 · see citing works
Self-citationProlonged grief symptomatology following violent loss: The mediating role of meaning
Milman, E., Neimeyer, R. A., Fitzpatrick, M., MacKinnon, C. J., Muis, K. R., & Cohen, S. R. (2017) · European Journal of Psychotraumatology · doi:10.1080/20008198.2018.1503522 · Cited by 56 · see citing works
Self-citationJohannsen, M., Schlander, C., Farver-Vestergaard, I., Lundorff, M., Wellnitz, K. B., Komischke-Konnerup, K. B., & O'Connor, M. (2022) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114683 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
- Authors
- Meier, A. M., Carr, D. R., Currier, J. M., & Neimeyer, R. A.
- Affiliations
- Fuller Theological Seminary (US)
- University of Memphis (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology
- Publisher
- Guilford Publications
- Published
- 2013-03
- Volume
- 32
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 315-334
- ISSN
- 0736-7236 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1988578662
- Cited by
- 109
- References
- 60
- Citations by year
- 2026: 17 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 7.78
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
- Keywords
- attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, bereavement, prolonged grief disorder, insecure attachment, coping with loss, young adults, suicide, homicide, somatic symptoms, psychiatric symptoms
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