The relationship between attachment, primary emotions and positive/negative spirituality

Autor(en)

Anton Freund, Jürgen Fuchshuber, Giorgia Silani, Human-Friedrich Unterrainer

Abstrakt

OBJECTIVE: The present study investigates what may influence individuals to experience their religiosity/spirituality as either subjectively positive [religious or spiritual (r/s) wellbeing] or as negative (r/s struggles). Drawing on existing literature attachment insecurity and the seven primary emotions as outlined by Jaak Panksepp in Affective Neuroscience are identified as likely influences.

METHODS: The final sample consisted of 340 participants (age:

M = 36, SD = 14.2; 68.5% = female), among which 65% self-identified as religious/spiritual. A path analysis was conducted to test a proposed mediation model in which the expected effects of primary emotions (B-ANPS) on r/s wellbeing (MI-RSWB) and r/s struggles (RSSS) were mediated through attachment insecurity (ECR-RD8).

RESULTS: The data indicated that attachment insecurity fully mediated the relationships between the primary emotions SADNESS and LUST with r/s struggles. Furthermore, the primary emotions FEAR and ANGER displayed small direct effects on both r/s struggles and r/s wellbeing. Overall, the model, which demonstrated excellent model fit, was able to explain 30% of the variance of r/s struggles, 24% of attachment insecurity and 5% of r/s wellbeing.

CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that primary emotions such as SADNESS and LUST substantially explain r/s struggles and that these relationships seem to be mediated through attachment. Moreover, r/s struggles seem to be qualitatively distinct from r/s wellbeing. Finally, a moderate link between LUST and attachment suggests that sexuality plays a significant role in (adult) attachment processes.

Organisation(en)

Institut für Klinische und Gesundheitspsychologie, Institut für Religionswissenschaft

Externe Organisation(en)

Medizinische Universität Wien, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Verein Grüner Kreis, Medizinische Universität Graz, Sigmund Freud Privatuniversität

Journal

Frontiers in Public Health

Band

DOI

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1375850

Publikationsdatum

06-2024

Peer-reviewed

ÖFOS 2012

501001 Allgemeine Psychologie

Schlagwörter

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Link zum Portal

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/the-relationship-between-attachment-primary-emotions-and-positivenegative-spirituality(28a3d7ca-cebe-4bed-a64c-dc478e030a31).html