Attachment orientations, emotion goals, and emotion regulation

Abstract

While research has linked attachment to emotion regulation (ER), little is known about associations between attachment and what individuals want to feel (i.e., emotion goals), something that has been found to influence ER strategy choice. In this study, we examined the links between attachment, emotion goals, and emotion regulation. A total of 605 participants from the community were included. They filled out self-report scales on attachment, emotion goals, and ER strategies. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Direct effects showed a link between attachment avoidance and fewer pro-hedonic goals, more suppression and fewer emotion communication, and between attachment anxiety and fewer pro-hedonic goals, more pro-social, performance, and impression management goals, and more suppression and rumination. Indirect effects showed that attachment avoidance was associated with less emotion communication and positive reappraisal and more suppression through fewer pro-hedonic goals. Attachment anxiety was associated with more rumination and more suppression through fewer impression management goals; attachment anxiety was also associated with more suppression through fewer pro-hedonic goals and more performance goals. These findings highlight the role of attachment as an important antecedent of emotion goals.