{"title":"Evidence that God Attachment Makes a Unique Contribution to Psychological Well-Being","authors":"D. Njus, Alexandra K. Scharmer","doi":"10.1080/10508619.2020.1723296","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT A wealth of research links both adult attachment and God attachment to psychological well-being. The purpose of the studies presented here was to examine whether God attachment is uniquely related to well-being after controlling for adult attachment. In study 1, utilizing an undergraduate sample, God attachment anxiety was negatively related to self-esteem and positively associated with depression after controlling for adult attachment. Studies 2 and 3 used online samples. Study 2 found that God attachment anxiety was positively related to depression and both God attachment anxiety and avoidance were negatively associated with self-esteem after controlling for adult attachment. Study 3 examined four different measures of well-being. Controlling for adult attachment, both God attachment anxiety and avoidance were negatively related to psychological flourishing, positive experience, and life satisfaction, and God attachment anxiety was positively related to generalized anxiety. Studies 2 and 3 also revealed that theists securely attached to God were higher on every measure of well-being than were atheists, agnostics, and theists insecurely attached to God. Results are discussed in the context of resilience – the notion that secure attachment, in this case to God, promotes a psychological hardiness that helps in dealing with life stressors.","PeriodicalId":47234,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for the Psychology of Religion","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7000,"publicationDate":"2020-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10508619.2020.1723296","citationCount":"9","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal for the Psychology of Religion","FirstCategoryId":"102","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10508619.2020.1723296","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"PSYCHOLOGY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 9
Abstract
ABSTRACT A wealth of research links both adult attachment and God attachment to psychological well-being. The purpose of the studies presented here was to examine whether God attachment is uniquely related to well-being after controlling for adult attachment. In study 1, utilizing an undergraduate sample, God attachment anxiety was negatively related to self-esteem and positively associated with depression after controlling for adult attachment. Studies 2 and 3 used online samples. Study 2 found that God attachment anxiety was positively related to depression and both God attachment anxiety and avoidance were negatively associated with self-esteem after controlling for adult attachment. Study 3 examined four different measures of well-being. Controlling for adult attachment, both God attachment anxiety and avoidance were negatively related to psychological flourishing, positive experience, and life satisfaction, and God attachment anxiety was positively related to generalized anxiety. Studies 2 and 3 also revealed that theists securely attached to God were higher on every measure of well-being than were atheists, agnostics, and theists insecurely attached to God. Results are discussed in the context of resilience – the notion that secure attachment, in this case to God, promotes a psychological hardiness that helps in dealing with life stressors.
期刊介绍:
The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion (IJPR) is devoted to psychological studies of religious processes and phenomena in all religious traditions. This journal provides a means for sustained discussion of psychologically relevant issues that can be examined empirically and concern religion in the most general sense. It presents articles covering a variety of important topics, such as the social psychology of religion, religious development, conversion, religious experience, religion and social attitudes and behavior, religion and mental health, and psychoanalytic and other theoretical interpretations of religion. The journal publishes research reports, brief research reports, commentaries on relevant topical issues, book reviews, and statements addressing articles published in previous issues. The journal may also include a major essay and commentaries, perspective papers of the theory, and articles on the psychology of religion in a specific country.