Insecure Attachment to God and Perceived Wellness at a US Private University

Attachment theory suggests that infants seek proximity to an attachment figure in times of physical or emotional threat, aiming for security and emotional support. Recent research has applied this model to understanding individuals' relationships with the divine. In multiple religions, God is viewed as a personal being who provides support, protection, and unconditional love, making him the ultimate attachment figure. Previous research has linked attachment to God with health risks and negative coping outcomes; however, little is known about how attachment to God can affect perceptions of healthy, psychological well-being. The current study included 986 undergraduate students (response rate 38%) from a private Christian liberal arts university in Southern California. The study examined how insecure attachment to God influences psychological well-being. Participants completed surveys assessing attachment to God and perceived wellness across multiple dimensions. Correlation analyses indicated that a secure attachment style was significantly positively associated with well-being, while insecure attachment styles were significantly inversely related to well-being. Furthermore, hierarchical regressions, adjusting for demographic factors, revealed that anxious and insecure-avoidant attachment styles predicted lower overall well-being and subtypes of well-being, accounting for variance ranging from 3 to 20%. Notably, anxious attachment styles were the strongest predictors of diminished well-being. These findings underscore the importance of understanding attachment to God in promoting psychological well-being, shedding light on avenues for further research and interventions to enhance individuals' attachment to the divine and overall well-being.