Factors associated with the adults' attachment styles in Lebanon: The role of alexithymia, depression, anxiety, stress, burnout, and emotional intelligence

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the association of adults' attachment styles with mental disorders in Lebanon.

Design/methods: A cross-sectional observational study enrolled 789 participants between November 2017 and March 2018.

Findings: People with distress (with dismissing- and fearful-dominant relationship styles) and people with instability (preoccupied-dominant relationship style with equal presence of the secured, fearful, and dismissing styles) had higher alcohol use disorder, alexithymia, depression, anxiety, stress, decreased emotional intelligence (emotional awareness, emotional management, and social-emotional awareness), burnout scores and suicidal ideation compared people with wellbeing, with a secure-dominant relationship style.

Practice implications: It is very important to assess bonding traits in disease prevention centers, caregiver institutions, employment assessments, and then coaching might help those individuals under risk to prevent mental health problems.

Keywords: alexithymia; anxiety; attachment style; burnout; depression; emotional intelligence; suicidal ideation.