Article Version of Record

Mediators of the Link Between Adult Attachment and Mindfulness

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Caldwell, Jon G.
Shaver, Phillip R.

Abstract / Description

The capacity to be mindfully aware of the present moment without judgment is associated with a number of positive psychological and physiological outcomes. Experiences in attachment relationships are related to specific cognitive-emotional patterns that may contribute to dispositional mindfulness. A sample of adults (N = 93) completed questionnaires regarding adult attachment, rumination, thought suppression, attentional control, and mindfulness. Attachment-related avoidance predicted lower levels of mindfulness, a relation mediated by thought suppression and poorer attentional control. Attachment-related anxiety also predicted lower levels of mindfulness, a relation mediated by rumination and poorer attentional control. The results suggest that in the context of insecure attachment relationships thought suppression and rumination defend against personal and interpersonal losses by deactivating (in the case of avoidance) or hyperactivating (in the case of anxiety) the attachment system. These habitual defensive patterns may be important links between adult attachment orientations and mindfulness.

Keyword(s)

mindfulness attachment adult attachment rumination thought suppression attentional control emotion emotion regulation

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2013-12-20

Journal title

Interpersona: An International Journal on Personal Relationships

Volume

7

Issue

2

Page numbers

299–310

Publisher

PsychOpen GOLD

Publication status

publishedVersion

Review status

peerReviewed

Is version of

Citation

Caldwell, J. G., & Shaver, P. R. (2013). Mediators of the Link Between Adult Attachment and Mindfulness. Interpersona: An International Journal on Personal Relationships, 7(2), 299–310. https://doi.org/10.5964/ijpr.v7i2.133
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Caldwell, Jon G.
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Shaver, Phillip R.
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2018-12-05T08:44:33Z
  • Made available on
    2018-12-05T08:44:33Z
  • Date of first publication
    2013-12-20
  • Abstract / Description
    The capacity to be mindfully aware of the present moment without judgment is associated with a number of positive psychological and physiological outcomes. Experiences in attachment relationships are related to specific cognitive-emotional patterns that may contribute to dispositional mindfulness. A sample of adults (N = 93) completed questionnaires regarding adult attachment, rumination, thought suppression, attentional control, and mindfulness. Attachment-related avoidance predicted lower levels of mindfulness, a relation mediated by thought suppression and poorer attentional control. Attachment-related anxiety also predicted lower levels of mindfulness, a relation mediated by rumination and poorer attentional control. The results suggest that in the context of insecure attachment relationships thought suppression and rumination defend against personal and interpersonal losses by deactivating (in the case of avoidance) or hyperactivating (in the case of anxiety) the attachment system. These habitual defensive patterns may be important links between adult attachment orientations and mindfulness.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    publishedVersion
  • Review status
    peerReviewed
  • Citation
    Caldwell, J. G., & Shaver, P. R. (2013). Mediators of the Link Between Adult Attachment and Mindfulness. Interpersona: An International Journal on Personal Relationships, 7(2), 299–310. https://doi.org/10.5964/ijpr.v7i2.133
    en_US
  • ISSN
    1981-6472
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1812
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.2178
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychOpen GOLD
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/ijpr.v7i2.133
  • Keyword(s)
    mindfulness
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    attachment
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    adult attachment
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    rumination
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    thought suppression
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    attentional control
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    emotion
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    emotion regulation
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    Mediators of the Link Between Adult Attachment and Mindfulness
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
  • Issue
    2
  • Journal title
    Interpersona: An International Journal on Personal Relationships
  • Page numbers
    299–310
  • Volume
    7
  • Visible tag(s)
    Version of Record