Relationship between Attachment Styles and Mental Health among Nurses

Abstract

Abstract Background & Aim: Attachment styles are among interpersonal resources that can help to reduce stress levels in adverse conditions and decrease the negative impact of stress. Attachment styles are important in predicting mental health. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to study the relationship between attachment styles and mental health among nurses. Material & Methods: It was a descriptive- correlational study. The research population included all nurses in Shahreza Amir Almomenin Hospital. Using Cochran formula, 114 nurses were selected by simple random sampling method. To gather data, two questionnaires were used including general health questionnaire (GHQ) a nd adult attachment inventory (AAI). Data was analyzed by inferential statistics (ANOVA, t-test and Regression analysis) using SPSS-PC (v. 19). Results: The finding showed that the mean score of secure attachment style (3.2 ± 0.70) was higher than hypothesized average (3) and avoidant (2.54 ± 0.76) and insecure ambivalent attachment (2.62 ± 0.77) were lower than hypothesized average (3). Also mean scores of physical symptoms (9.43 ± 4.46), anxiety (9.00 ± 5.69) and social symptoms (13.14 ± 3.56) were higher than cut-off point (6) but depressive symptoms (4.58 ± 3.33) were lower than cut-off point (6). The findings also revealed that the mean score of nurses’ mental health (36.3 ± 11.30) was higher than cut-off point (23). Conclusion: The results of the study showed that attachment style s play a key role in nurses’ mental health. The findings also revealed that only ambivalent attachment style had the ability to predict mental health.

Keywords

• mental health
• attachment styles
• nurses