Examining relations among attachment, religiosity, and new age spirituality using the Adult Attachment Interview.
This study was the first to examine relations between attachment and religion-spirituality in adults using a developmentally validated attachment assessment, the Adult Attachment Interview. Security of attachment was expected to be linked to a religiosity-spirituality that is socially based on the parental relationships and reflects extrapolation of attachment experiences with sensitive parents to perceived relationships with a loving God. Insecurity of attachment was expected to be related to religiosity- spirituality via emotional compensation for states of insecurity. Participants (N=84; 40% men; mean age=29 years) were drawn from religious-spiritual groups. Religiousness-spirituality was assessed with questionnaires. Results generally supported the hypotheses (ps<.05). Estimates of parental loving were linked to socially based religiosity, loving God images, and gradual religious changes occurring at early ages and in life contexts indicating a positive influence of close relationships. Estimates of parental rejection and role reversal were related to New Age spirituality and sudden-intense religious changes occurring in life contexts of turmoil. Current attachment state of mind was generally unrelated to traditional religiosity, but current preoccupation, unresolved- disorganized, and cannot classify states were associated with New Age spirituality.
Granqvist
Pehr
P
Department of Psychology.
Ivarsson
Tord
T
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Broberg
Anders G
AG
Department of Psychology.
Hagekull
Berit
B
Department of Psychology.
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009769:Object Attachment; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012059:Rejection, Psychology; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D029181:Spirituality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires