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.