Attachment to God as a source of struggle and strength: A prospective study exploring Christians’ relationship with God, coping with negative events, and wellbeing.

If attachment to God functions in a similar way to human attachment relationships, then a secure attachment to God would function to psychologically buffer an individual when s/he experiences negative events. Conversely, a higher degree of anxiety or avoidance in one’s attachment relationship with God would predict worse mental health outcomes when experiencing negative events. These effects would occur at least in part because one’s style of attachment to God is likely to influence the way in which an individual ‘uses’ this relationship in the context of coping with negative events. These hypotheses were tested in a sample of 530 Christians who responded to an online survey at two time-points (approximately four months apart). An overview of initial analyses from this data set will be provided, regarding the relationship between attachment to God, religious coping and subsequent depression and wellbeing under the experience of negative events.