Attachment style, emotional control, and breast cancer

Research in emotional control and interpersonal relations and health suggest possible linkages between attachment theory and cancer. The suppression of negative emotions, characteristic of avoidant attachment, is considered to be the core of the Type C pattern. Women with breast cancer (n=52) and without cancer (n=52) were assessed regarding attachment style and emotional control. It was hypothesized that the cancer group would score significantly higher on avoidant attachment and emotional control than the comparison group. Results supported both hypotheses. These findings are to be interpreted with caution because they are preliminary. More research is needed to determine the role of attachment as a psychosocial factor in cancer.