Psychology Research Center

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Publications

Attachment orientations and family functioning: The mediating role of emotion regulation.

Publication . Brandão, Tânia; Brites, Rute Sofia Ribeiro; Hipólito, J.; Nunes, O.

Attachment insecurity has been found to be associated with poor family functioning. The mechanisms underlying this link, however, are less explored. This study examines the potential mediating role of emotion regulation in the association between attachment orientations and family functioning. Self-report scales measuring attachment, family functioning, and emotion regulation were administered to 132 adults (58% women; 57.63 years). Results showed that both attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance were associated with poor family functioning. Furthermore, emotion suppression, but not positive reappraisal, was found to partially mediate the association between attachment insecurity (both anxiety and avoidance) and perceived family functioning. Findings suggest that emotion regulation seems to play a role in the impact that attachment orientations may have on family functioning.

2022Journal article

Open access

Attachment orientations, emotion goals, and emotion regulation.

Publication . Brandão, Tânia; Brites, Rute Sofia Ribeiro; Hipólito, J.; Nunes, O.

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.

2023Journal article

Restricted access