Exploring the Impact of Two Types of Meditation for Individuals High in Attachment Anxiety Experiencing Conflict in Romantic Relationships
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Authors
Quickert, Rachael
Date
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thesis
Language
eng
Keyword
Attachment Anxiety , Mindfulness , Romantic Relationships , Romantic Conflict
Alternative Title
Abstract
Individuals high in attachment anxiety fear rejection in close relationships. Limited research has examined tools to help individuals high in attachment anxiety cope with stress. In a previous experiment I found that mindfulness exacerbated stress reactions for individuals high in attachment anxiety primed with rejection. Specifically, higher levels of mindfulness were associated with increased negative reactions to an imagined relationship threat for individuals high in attachment anxiety. I theorized that different types of mindfulness may be associated with different experimental outcomes. I hypothesized that an external focus of meditation (i.e., grounding to sensory aspects of one’s environment) may be more helpful for individuals high in attachment anxiety experiencing relationship stress, relative to an internal focus of meditation (i.e., paying attention to one’s body and breath). Neutral aspects of one’s environment may be a less threatening target of attention, allowing high-attachment anxiety individuals to reap the benefits of mindfulness. I conducted two studies to examine this hypothesis: a laboratory experiment, and a two-week diary study. Both studies included an internally-focused meditation condition, an externally-focused meditation condition, and a control audio condition. After two weeks of daily meditation, individuals high in attachment anxiety reported similar levels of mindfulness to individuals low in attachment anxiety. Thus, the intervention removed the typical association between high attachment anxiety and lower levels of mindfulness. With regards to relationship outcomes, across both studies the meditation conditions were associated with exacerbation effects for individuals high in attachment anxiety (i.e., more intense stress reactions). I discuss implications of these findings, as well as the importance of examining how personality traits moderate the effectiveness of interventions in the context of stress.
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ProQuest PhD and Master's Theses International Dissemination Agreement
Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University
Copying and Preserving Your Thesis
This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner.