Young Adults’ Attachment Orientations and Psychological Health Across Cultures: The Moderating Role of Individualism and Collectivism

Abstract

Claims that adult attachment differences across cultures are associated with individual differences in individualism and collectivism have seldom been evaluated. This study investigates how individualism and collectivism may relate to adult attachment orientations (anxiety and avoidance) and whether they moderate the attachment–psychological health link. In samples of young adults from Western (Australians, n = 143) and Eastern (Singaporeans, n = 146) locations, individual differences in individualism and collectivism were significantly associated with attachment avoidance but not anxiety. As predicted, attachment anxiety predicted worse negative symptoms more strongly among individuals higher in collectivism across cultures. However, individualism and collectivism did not moderate the relation between avoidance and negative symptoms. Results suggest there are other factors leading to the differential moderating effect of individualism and collectivism in the attachment–wellbeing link across cultures. The current study highlights the need to look beyond cultural stereotypes in clinical practice.