INTERPERSONAL ATTACHMENT AS A PSYCHOLOGICAL RESOURCE FOR COPING WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA

Abstract

Background. Traumatic events substantially affect individuals’ mental health, contributing to the development of posttraumatic symptoms and complicating the process of psychological adaptation. One of the factors influencing individual responses to traumatic experiences is interpersonal attachment, which affects emotion regulation, the willingness to seek and use social support, and the choice of coping strategies. Aim. To investigate interpersonal attachment as a psychological resource for coping with traumatic experiences, to examine the relationships between attachment styles, posttraumatic symptoms, and coping strategies, and to determine the predictive role of attachment styles in the use of coping strategies. Methods. The study involved 50 participants aged 18–25 years who had experienced traumatic events. Ukrainian-language versions of the Relationship Questionnaire (RQ), the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), and the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WCQ) were used to collect empirical data. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, Spearman’s rank-order correlation, and multiple linear regression analysis. Results. Statistically significant positive associations were found between anxious attachment and overall posttraumatic symptom severity, re-experiencing symptoms, negative alterations in cognition and mood, and the escape–avoidance coping strategy. Fearful and dismissive-avoidant attachment styles were associated with a lower tendency to seek social support. Multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that attachment styles significantly predicted the use of the escape–avoidance coping strategy (R² = 0.240, p = 0.013). Anxious attachment increased the likelihood of using this maladaptive coping strategy, whereas secure attachment demonstrated a protective effect and was associated with a lower likelihood of its use. Conclusions. The findings confirm that interpersonal attachment is an important psychological resource for coping with traumatic experiences. Secure attachment promotes the use of adaptive coping strategies, whereas anxious attachment increases vulnerability to maladaptive coping responses. The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of considering attachment characteristics when providing psychological support to individuals who have experienced traumatic events. Keywords: interpersonal attachment, traumatic experiences, posttraumatic symptoms, coping strategies, psychological resources, social support.