Insecure attachment and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms among Black, Indigenous, and People of Color first responders: The role of emotion dysregulation.

Abstract

Objective: First responders are at greater risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to constant exposure to potentially traumatic events. Studies have shown that both insecure attachment and emotion dysregulation contribute to more PTSD symptom severity. However, it is unclear whether emotion dysregulation explains relationships between insecure attachment and PTSD symptoms, especially among Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) first responders.

Method: A total of 188 trauma-exposed BIPOC first responders (M_age = 35.40; 71.80% men) residing in Canada completed research questionnaires. The direct and indirect effects of attachment insecurity (i.e., attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance) on PTSD symptom clusters (intrusions, avoidance, negative alterations in cognitions and mood, alterations in arousal and reactivity) via emotion dysregulation were examined via PROCESS macro Model 4.

Results: Results showed that emotion dysregulation mediated the relations between attachment anxiety/avoidance and all four PTSD symptom clusters (B_s = .02 to .16; R² = 19.79% to 38.15%).

Conclusions: Trauma-exposed BIPOC first responders with insecure attachment styles are more likely to experience difficulties regulating emotions, which increases the severity of all four PTSD symptom clusters. Culturally congruent, trauma-informed treatments may benefit from targeting emotion regulation among BIPOC first responders to improve posttrauma well-being. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).