Is a therapist's attachment style predictive of stress and burnout in a sample of Irish therapists?

Abstract

The current study investigated whether attachment style, as measured by levels of attachment anxiety and avoidance, in a sample of (N = 137) therapists predicted stress and burnout. A series of hierarchical multiple regressions accounted for 20% of variance in stress, with insecure-anxious attachment and years working as a therapist being significant predictors, 12% in Emotional Exhaustion, with insecure-anxious attachment being significant, 17% in Depersonalization, with insecure avoidant attachment and age being significant.