Are insecure attachment styles related to risky sexual behavior? A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Attachment theory provides a powerful framework for understanding individual differences affecting interpersonal relationships and a range of health behavior outcomes. However, no meta-analyses have yet to examine the relationship between adult attachment styles and risky sexual behaviors. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to synthesize the results of the association between adult attachment and risky sexual behaviors. METHOD: = 7,233). RESULTS: = .001) and type of risk population (z = 3.03, β = .12, p = .002) were found to be significant moderators. CONCLUSIONS: Insecure attachment styles are related to risky sexual behaviors and the correlation between attachment anxiety and having multiple partners is stronger as the average age of participant increases and when the study population is specifically an at-risk population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).