Comparing Individuals with Secure Attachment and Insecure Individuals in their Heart Rate Responses to Attachment-Related Film Clips

The aim of this study was to examine heart rate responses to attachment-related film clips in secure attachment individuals and comparing them to those with insecure attachment. The study was a quasi- experimental design. Thirty students aged between 18 and 30 (15 students with secure attachment style, 15 students with insecure attachment style) were selected by convenience sampling method. The Adult Attachment Questionnaire (AAQ; Hazan & Shaver, 1987) was used to assess participants’ attachment styles. The heart rate (HR) reactivity of participants was monitored during eight Iranian attachment-related film clips by electrocardiogram (ECG).The results of independent t-test indicated that participants with insecure attachment had significantly lower HR reduction than participants with secure attachment during the three intense emotional weight and negative content film clips. Additionally, participants with insecure attachment had significantly lower HR reduction on the two low emotional weight and positive content film clips than participants with secure attachment. We also found the HR reactivity of individuals with insecure attachment styles was significantly higher than secure individuals during resting phase. The implications of high level of arousal and low level of emotion regulation in individuals with insecure attachment styles were discussed.