Self‐Reported Attachment Styles in the Danish General Population: Gender and Age‐Related Differences and Associations With Mental Health

Insecure attachment styles are associated with psychopathology and mental health problems. However, there are only a few large, nationally representative studies on the relationship between attachment and mental health, leaving a gap in our knowledge about the distribution of attachment styles across age groups and gender. In this cross-sectional study of the Danish general population aged 18-79, we present self-reported attachment styles in 3597 adults assessed with the Relationship Questionnaire. We describe the distributions of attachment styles both categorically and dimensionally, their differences depending on age and gender, as well as the correlation with different indices of mental health. Overall, 65% of the respondents reported being securely attached, with slightly more women being securely attached than men. 35% of the respondents reported being insecurely attached, with men being more likely to be dismissing and women more likely to be preoccupied. In terms of age, there was a steady increase in attachment security until around the age of 60 years. Self-reported attachment in the population showed low to moderate correlations with symptoms of mental health disorders, psychosocial function, and well-being. Secure attachment was positively correlated with well-being and negatively associated with poor psychosocial functioning. The high level of self-reported attachment security in Denmark is likely the result of it being a relatively wealthy and gender-equal society. Gender and age differences in terms of attachment insecurity can be understood in terms of both socio-cultural norms, social comparison, and maturation theories. Whether these findings reflect common developmental trajectories or cohort effects remains a topic for further investigation.