The role of attachment style in unhealthy music use

Music is a widely used tool for stress reduction and mood regulation, but its effectiveness may differ depending on individual characteristics and the emotion regulation strategies employed. In the present study, we investigated the association between (un)healthy music use and attachment style, a factor that shapes not only interpersonal behavior but also emotion regulation tendencies. Using a sample of 224 participants, we administered questionnaires assessing attachment styles, general emotion regulation tendencies, attitudes toward emotions, and patterns of healthy and unhealthy music use. Our results showed that insecure attachment styles are associated with unhealthy music use, mediated by general emotion regulation tendencies. Specifically, anxious attachment was linked to ruminative music listening, mediated by a broader tendency to use rumination as an emotion regulation strategy. In contrast, avoidant attachment was linked to avoidant music use, mediated by a general tendency to avoid emotions. In conclusion, attachment style plays an important role in shaping how individuals engage with music, with anxious and avoidant styles being associated with unhealthy patterns of music use. This study makes a significant conceptual contribution by laying the groundwork for a new area of research that focuses on how attachment styles influence music use and related emotional outcomes.