Self‐Reported Attachment Styles in the Danish General Population

Gender and Age‐Related Differences and Associations With Mental Health

Dados Bibliográficos

ID21391879
AutoresSebastian Simonsen (0000-0002-5488-7562, Mental Health Center Stolpegård Copenhagen University Hospital–Mental Health Services CPH Copenhagen Denmark, autor correspondente), Stephen F Austin (0000-0001-5988-0565, University of Copenhagen), Stephen Austin (0000-0002-6732-7169, Department of Psychology University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark), Matthias Gondan (0000-0001-9974-0057, Department of Psychology University of Innsbruck Innsbruck Austria), Emilie Hestbæk (0000-0003-0508-7929, Mental Health Center Stolpegård Copenhagen University Hospital–Mental Health Services CPH Copenhagen Denmark), Sophie Juul (0000-0002-6171-2904, Mental Health Center Stolpegård Copenhagen University Hospital–Mental Health Services CPH Copenhagen Denmark), Stine Bjerrum Moeller (0000-0002-5019-8065, Danish National Center of Psychotraumatology University of Southern Denmark Odense Denmark)
Ano2026
Volume67
Fascículo3
Páginas725-735
Data de publicação2026-06-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoScandinavian Journal of Psychology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0036-5564 • E-ISSN: 1467-9450
EditoraWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/sjop.70065
PMID41437314
OpenAlexW7117112319
IdiomaEN
Referências citadas68

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

Attachment theory · Danish · Mental health · Population · Psychopathology · Psychosocial · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Mental Health Research Topics · Personality Disorders and Psychopathology