Impact of Attachment Style on Disclosure of Traumatic Events

Researchers have suggested that differences occur among attachment styles in willingness to self-disclose to a relationship partner. The present study investigated relationships between a four-category model of attachment, the actual disclosure of a traumatic event, and the reasons for and against disclosure. Participants in the survey were 268 female college student volunteers. In this self-report study, attachment group members were compared on 15 subscales, focusing on categories of reasons for and against disclosure. Differences in actual disclosure among attachment groups were not found. However, significant differences were observed between groups in reasons for and against disclosure on the following subscales: mutual support, obsession/anxiety, testing reactions, communication difficulty, relationship threat, and concern for the other' reaction. It was concluded that attachment style has an impact on the disclosure-decision process.