The roles of autonomy-connectedness and attachment styles in depression and anxiety

The present study examined how autonomy—connectedness and attachment styles relate to depression and anxiety among 69 clients at a primary mental health care institution and 105 non-clients. We expected poor autonomy—connectedness (i.e., low self-awareness, low capacity for managing new situations, and high sensitivity to others) and insecure attachment to predict depression and anxiety. Clients, compared with non-clients, differed on all study variables. Anxious attachment was a strong predictor of depression and anxiety. Both sensitivity to others and capacity for managing new situations directly predicted anxiety; and, like self-awareness, had indirect effects, via anxious attachment, on both anxiety and depression. Results underscore the importance of autonomy—connectedness (in addition to insecure attachment) in treating anxiety and depression.