Attachment status and salivary cortisol in a normal day and during simulated interpersonal stress in young men

Abstract

Attachment insecurity, as assessed via the adult attachment interview (AAI), may be expected to relate to basal hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) activity because it is retrodictive of stressful early experiences, which may influence HPA development. In addition, because AAI insecurity may reflect limitations on concurrent cognitive, emotional, and behavioral strategies for managing interpersonal distress, insecurity may also relate to cortisol reactivity specifically during inter-personal challenges. Nevertheless, only two studies have examined associations between AAI insecurity and cortisol, and in total only eight non-clinical men were included. To expand upon past research, the current study focused on college aged men and examined relations between attachment status (via categories and continuous scores) and cortisol levels during daily life and during interpersonal laboratory challenges, wherein subjects were asked to visualize and respond to hypothetical situations concerning loss, separation, and abandonment. Unlike prior research, salivary cortisol was measured during cognitive challenges (e.g. non-autobiographical memory tests), so as to inform questions concerning the specificity of effects. Contrary to expectations, only limited evidence suggested a relation between insecurity and basal HPA functioning. However, in keeping with expectations, associations between insecurity, and in particular dismissing idealization, and comparatively higher cortisol values following interpersonal challenges were observed.

• Adult attachment interview
• attachment
• cognitive test
• insecurity
• interpersonal challenge test
• memory

Notes

^† This work was completed as part of a doctoral dissertation at the University of California, Berkeley, submitted to Dr Mary Main, and much of the time spent writing-up this manuscript occurred during the author's postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School, Judge Baker Children's Center.

^† The mean U/d slip score for individuals considered part of the disorganized group, only due to Unresolved/disorganized slips (and not because of cannot classify status) was 5.25, SD = 0.79.