Attachment to Church Congregation: Contributions to Well-Being over and above Social Support

Abstract

Over the last three decades, research has established a strong link between attachment and well-being as well as social support and well-being. Past research found that attachment to church congregation predicted well-being over and above that predicted by attachment to God. However, it is unknown if attachment to church congregation predicts well-being over and above that predicted by social support. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if attachment to church congregation could explain a portion of the variance in negative affect, positive affect, satisfaction with life, and daily spiritual experiences, beyond that explained by religious social support and perceived social support. The data from 201 participants indicated that religious social support, perceived social support, and attachment to church congregation each predicted different aspects of well-being. Only negative affect was predicted by attachment to church congregation beyond that predicted by social support. More research is needed to better understand the relationship between attachment to church congregation, social support, and well-being.

Attachment to God, Tenure, Race, and Participation in Congregational Life

“…Beyond this basic outline, our data suggest several other lines of reasoning. Despite the possibility that congregations serve as compensating locales for attachment processes (Freeze and DiTommaso 2015), results point to an amplifying rather than mitigating effect for attachments to God among those with longer congregational tenure. Our data do not allow us to make claims about effects of attachment over time, but our cross-sectional analyses reveal a divergent pattern of CRLA participation that increases with individuals who have attended a single congregation for a longer period of time (controlling for age and other covariates).…”

“…If congregations are successful in doing this, tenure in a particular congregation might relate to increased participation in CRLAs over time. Because attachment to God and attachment to congregations should mutually reinforce one another (Freeze and DiTommaso 2015), we expect that individuals maintaining tenure in a single congregation for a long period of time will show increased CRLA participation, but that this will vary by attachment style: H2 The relationship between secure attachment to God and participation in CRLAs will be moderated by congregational tenure.…”

“…Though a handful of studies investigate attachment effects within particular denominational samples (Bradshaw et al 2010; Eurelings-Bontekoe et al 2005), we know of only one concerned with attachment to God and congregational dynamics. In that investigation, Freeze and DiTommaso (2015) find that attachment to God and attachment to a local congregation are independently linked with improved psychological well-being. Though intriguing, these results fail to illuminate the broader effects that individual attachment orientation might have on congregational participation and commitment.…”

I worry that I am almost perfect! Examining relationships among perfectionism, scrupulosity, intrinsic spirituality, and psychological well-being among Latter-Day Saints.

“…In contrast, anxious and avoidant attachment to God have been associated with poor mental health outcomes. The empirical literature on anxious and avoidant attachment to God suggests both are linked to psychological distress (Bradshaw et al, 2010), anxiety and depression (Homan, 2014; Kirkpatrick & Shaver, 1992; Pirutinsky et al, 2019), low self-esteem (Njus & Scharmer, 2020), and diminished spiritual well-being (Beck & McDonald, 2004; Freeze & DiTommaso, 2015). The literature on anxious attachment has shown a negative association with self-acceptance (Freeze & DiTommaso, 2015).…”

Attachment to God, Vocational Calling, and Worker Contentment

“…We do know, however, that atheists in the BRS make more money (t = −3.47, p < .001) and are more highly educated (t = −4.02, p < .001) than theists. These two important factors, in addition to the possibility that atheists may seek out workplace relationships in the absence of religious community (Freeze and DiTommaso 2015), suggest that several intriguing paths are available for future scholarly inquiry in this area. We hope others will take up these questions to further clarify these relationships.…”