Different effects of anxiety and avoidance dimensions of attachment on interpersonal trust: A multilevel meta-analysis

Abstract

Interpersonal trust is significant in the development of society. Attachment theory provides a framework for understanding the trust-building process. Although many studies have investigated the association between attachment and interpersonal trust, controversy still exists regarding their correlation and the separate effects of attachment anxiety and avoidance on interpersonal trust. This meta-analysis summarized the combined relationship between both attachment dimensions and interpersonal trust in adults by including 53 articles reporting 149 effect sizes ( N = 45,166). The results revealed that both attachment dimensions were negatively, concurrently, and longitudinally associated with interpersonal trust. Further, subgroup analyses indicated that attachment avoidance was more strongly related to interpersonal trust than attachment anxiety ( F(1,291) = 459.568, p < .001). The effect sizes varied across cultures, trust figures, and sample sizes. The effect sizes between attachment anxiety ( r = −.038) and attachment avoidance ( r = −.15) on interpersonal trust in Chinese studies were both lower than in Western studies. Our results highlight the importance of attachment security in interpersonal relationships.