Age and adult attachment style predict psychological distress in the Singapore general population during COVID-19

To date, there is increasing evidence to suggest that age and adult attachment styles, such as secure, anxious and avoidant attachment are predictive or protective for psychological distress. The study aimed to investigate the extent to which age and adult attachment style, measured by the Attachmen...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychology, health & medicine health & medicine, 2023-09, Vol.28 (8), p.2212-2224
Main Authors: Samraj, Juliet R., Wright, David J., McMurtrie, Hazel
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
adult attachment style
Adults
Age
Attachment style
Avoidance behavior
COVID-19
general population
predictive factors
Psychological distress
Regression analysis
Risk factors
Singapore
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Summary:To date, there is increasing evidence to suggest that age and adult attachment styles, such as secure, anxious and avoidant attachment are predictive or protective for psychological distress. The study aimed to investigate the extent to which age and adult attachment style, measured by the Attachment Style Questionnaire, predicted psychological distress, measured by the Kessler 10 Psychological Distress Scale, in the Singapore general population during COVID-19. Ninety-nine residents of Singapore (44 females, 52 males, 3 prefer not to state their gender) aged between 18 and 66 completed an online survey, which collected information on age, adult attachment styles and levels of psychological distress. Multiple regression analysis was performed to study the influence of predictive factors on psychological distress. The study identified 20.2%, 13.1% and 14.1% of participants reporting psychological distress at the mild, moderate and severe levels, respectively. The study also reported that age and psychological distress were negatively correlated, and that psychological distress was negatively correlated with both anxious and avoidant attachment styles. It was concluded that age and adult attachment style significantly predicted psychological distress in the Singapore general population during COVID-19. Further studies exploring other variables and risk factors are required to further consolidate these results. At the global level, these findings may help countries predict residents' reactions to future outbreaks and help them prepare strategies and approaches to address these situations.
ISSN:1354-8506
1465-3966
DOI:10.1080/13548506.2023.2216466