How do attachment dimensions affect bereavement adjustment? A mediation model of continuing bonds

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Bereavement Studies
• Attachment Theory

Background:

• Attachment dimensions significantly influence psychological adjustment following loss.
• Understanding the role of continuing bonds (CB) is crucial for navigating grief.
• Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is a potential positive outcome of bereavement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the mechanisms by which attachment dimensions affect bereavement adjustment.
• To explore the mediating roles of externalized and internalized continuing bonds (CB) in grief and PTG.
• To differentiate the impact of attachment anxiety versus avoidance on bereavement outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 247 bereaved mainland Chinese adults.
• Anonymous, retrospective, self-report surveys were used.
• Measures included attachment dimensions, continuing bonds (CB), grief symptoms, and posttraumatic growth (PTG).

Main Results:

• Attachment anxiety predicted grief symptoms through externalized CB and PTG through internalized CB.
• Attachment avoidance positively predicted grief symptoms via externalized CB but negatively predicted PTG directly.
• The type of continuing bonds (CB) influenced whether attachment anxiety led to grief or PTG.

Conclusions:

• Attachment anxiety can coexist with both grief and PTG, contingent on the nature of continuing bonds (CB).
• Attachment avoidance is linked to a higher likelihood of maladaptive bereavement adjustment.
• Grief therapy could benefit from encouraging the establishment and internalization of continuing bonds (CB).