A Brief Report: A Facet-Level Analysis on Relationships Between Mindfulness and Attachment Styles

Abstract

Practicing mindfulness generally results in improved psychological health, behavioral regulation, and relationship functioning. Attachment style describes how children and adults respond to relationship stress. A recent correlational study by Shaver, Lavy, Saron, and Mikulincer (2007) demonstrated direct links between facets of mindfulness and attachment styles in a sample of adults who volunteered to participate in a meditation retreat trial. The current study tested if these associations can be generalized to a college sample of 204 undergraduate students who were not involved in a meditation trial. Results largely replicated Shaver's findings and indicated relationships between facets of mindfulness and attachment styles in college students. Findings highlight the possibility that mindfulness and attachment styles may share common underlying processes. Implications for theory and clinical practice of mindfulness are discussed.