The Relationship between the Secure-Insecure Attachment Styles with Cognitive Distortions among a Sample of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad Students

The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between secure-insecure attachment styles and cognitive distortions. To this end, 403 students from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad were selected using a random clustering procedure, and completed the Collins and Read (1990) Attachment Styles Questionnaire and Becham, Leber, Watkins, Boyer, and Cook’d (1986) Cognitive Triad Inventory (CTI). The results of Pearson’s correlation and homogeneity analysis showed a positive correlation between insecure-anxious attachment style and negative CTI. There was also a negative correlation between secure attachment and negative CTI. Male and female students did not differ from each other in terms of their attachment styles and views toward self, but they were different in terms of their view to future and world/ others. Insecure-anxious attachment style was positively correlated with negative view of self, world/others and future. Therefore, it is likely that secure attachment style, is related with effective cognitions and insecure attachment style is related with ineffective cognitions, affecting intepersonal communication, academic achievement, mental health, and the quality of life at the university.