The Relationship Between Adult Attachment Orientation and Mindfulness: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Mindfulness December 1, 2017 Jodie C. Stevenson, Lisa-Marie Emerson, Abigail Millings
Adults with insecure attachment—either anxious or avoidant—tend to report lower levels of mindfulness. A meta-analysis of 33 quantitative studies found moderate negative correlations between attachment anxiety and overall mindfulness, and between attachment avoidance and overall mindfulness. Across the five mindfulness facets (acting with awareness, observing, describing, non-reacting, non-judging), the only exception was a small positive link between attachment anxiety and the observe facet. Effect sizes ranged from small to medium. The findings consolidate evidence that attachment insecurity is consistently associated with reduced trait mindfulness, though causality cannot be determined from cross-sectional designs.