The association between adult attachment style and mental health in extreme life-endangering conditions

This study examines the association between adult attachment style and psychopathology in extreme life-endangering conditions. A group of 40 Israeli Jewish settlers who lived within the Palestinian Authority territory (high-threat group) were asked to fill out an attachment style scale and psychiatric symptomatology measures. They were compared to a control group of Israeli Jewish persons who lived within the State of Israel. Findings showed higher symptomatology in the high-threat than control group. Secure attachment style was inversely related to symptomatology measures. In contrast, anxious-ambivalent and avoidant attachment styles were positively related to symptomatology measures. However, whereas the anxious-ambivalent attachment style was related to psychopathology in the two threat conditions, the avoidant style was related to psychopathology only in the high-threat group. Results were discussed in terms of attachment theory.