Anxious attachment style predicts an enhanced cortisol response to group psychosocial stress

Figures & data

Figure 1. Mean (±SEM) salivary free cortisol concentrations (nanomoles per litre) for all participants (n = 78). (A) Immediately before onset of the TSST-G; (B) mid-way through the TSST-G and (C) immediately after the end of the TSST-G.

Table 1. Descriptive statistics and intercorrelations between cortisol, VASQ attachment measures and demographic data (n = 78).

		Correlations
Variables	Descriptives	Cortisol recovery	Vulnerability	Insecurity	Proximity	Age	Menstrual cycle phase	Smoking status	BMI
Cortisol reactivity nmol/l M (SD)	4.47 (6.50)	0.185	0.289*	0.269*	0.177	0.349**	−0.141	−0.103	0.011
Cortisol recovery M (SD)	4.20 (4.50)		−0.020	−0.047	0.016	0.276*	−0.176	0.015	0.017
VASQ Vulnerability nmol/l M (SD)	60.98 (9.81)			0.775**	0.770**	0.209	−0.037	0.163	−0.119
VASQ Insecurity M (SD)	33.37 (6.39)				0.193	0.247*	−0.051	0.001	−0.035
VASQ Proximity M (SD)	27.61 (6.32)					−0.075	−0.006	0.254*	−0.150
Age (years) M (SD)	20.22 (3.21)						−0.054	0.099	0.218
Menstrual cycle phase %  (luteal)	38.5							−0.017	−0.007
Smoking status % (non-smoker)	85.9								−0.111
BMI M (SD)	21.46 (3.76)

*p < 0.05, **p < 0.001.

Table 2. Prediction of cortisol reactivity.

Predictors	β	t	p Value
VASQ vulnerability	0.241	2.205	0.031
Age	0.322	2.902	0.005
Menstrual cycle phase	−0.118	−1.132	0.261
Smoking status	−0.182	−1.706	0.092
BMI	−0.051	−0.468	0.641
R^2	0.162 (p = 0.003)

Figure 2. Attachment style differences in cortisol reactivity. Reactivity is significantly greater for the insecure anxious attachment style group in comparison to the securely attached group (p = 0.011).