Objective: Risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) include high job strain, high stress, and low levels of social support (Hemingway & Marmot, 1999). The aim of this study was to, for the first time, explore CVD risk factors in light of one of the most validated psychological theories to date, known as Attachment Theory.
Methods: A relatively large sample of Australian workers was obtained through three means: (1) invitations to those known to researchers (2) an advertisement in a University staff newsletter, and (3) an advertisement on Facebook. Prospective participants were invited to complete an online survey. A total of 553 people accessed the survey online, with 448 (81%) being identified as eligible to participate based on the following criteria: completion of the whole survey, over 18 years of age, and employed full-time or part-time in Australia. Participants’ demographic and work details, along with their responses on several standardised questionnaires measuring adult attachment styles, stress, and job strain, were analysed using regression analyses.
Results: Attachment security predicted reports of more supportive social environments at work, and lower levels of job strain and stress. Attachment anxiety was also associated with reports of high social support at work; however, it was associated with increased levels of stress. Attachment avoidance was associated with reports of less supportive social environments at work. Further, although attachment avoidance was not associated with job strain (high job demands and low decision latitude), significant results were detected when social support was added to the equation (i.e. measuring isostrain). Results from binary logistic regression indicated that for a one unit increase in attachment avoidance, the odds of being in the isostrain group (high job demands, low decision latitude and low social support) are expected to increase by a factor of 1.92.
Conclusion: Attachment security appears to be negatively associated with job strain and stress and positively associated with social support at work. Thus, those with secure attachment patterns are less likely to report high job strain, high stress, and low social support, which in turn suggests that securely attached adults are at a lower risk of CVD. Indeed, this suggestion is consistent with emerging evidence from within this research group. Additionally, it appears that those with higher attachment avoidance may be at more risk of isostrain and those with higher attachment anxiety may be at more risk of stress. Further longitudinal research is required to test if attachment insecurity predisposes individuals to job strain, stress and CVD, as the preliminary results of this paper appear to suggest. Gaining a better understanding of the relationship among these variables may facilitate prediction of individuals likely to develop CVD, as well as to provide recommendations for tailoring interventions to suit individuals based on their personality differences.

Hemingway, H., & Marmot, M. (1999). Psychosocial factors in the aetiology and prognosis of coronary heart disease: systematic review of prospective cohort studies. BMJ, 318, 1460-1467.