The Role of meditation in the relationship between attachment and loneliness among long-term care population in Thailand

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: Loneliness is highly prevalent among long-term care residents. One of the factors associated with loneliness is insecure attachment. Research suggests that meditation may serve as a buffer against mental health problems. This study targeted to appraise the effect of meditation on the association between insecure attachment and loneliness among long-term care (LTC) residents in Thailand. Methods: This research employed secondary data from a cross-sectional study of older people in LTC facilities in Thailand during December 2020 -July 2021. The Revised Experience of Close Relationship questionnaire, Inner-Strength Based Inventory, and the Revised version of the University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale were used to investigate attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety, meditation, and loneliness. Mediation and moderation analyses were conducted to investigate meditation's role as a mediator or moderator in the association attachment insecurities and loneliness link. Results: The sample comprised 236 older adults (mean age 73.52 ± 7.32 years; female 57.6%). Of all participants, 58.4% engaged in meditation. The meditation scores ranged from 1 to 5, with a mean score of 2.92 ± 1.17. Meditation did not show significant mediation between attachment anxiety and loneliness. However, it was found to be a significant mediator for the relationship between attachment avoidance and loneliness, despite the total effect being nonsignificant. Meditation moderated the correlation between insecure attachment (avoidance and anxiety) and loneliness but in the opposite direction. While meditation appeared to buffer attachment anxiety from loneliness (B = 0.44, standard error= 0.21; 95% CI, 0.30 to 0.86), it seemed to exacerbate loneliness among individuals with attachment avoidance B= -0.34, standard error = 0.17 (95% CI, -0.67 to -0.02). Conclusions: The influence of meditation practice is contingent upon an individual's type of attachment. Meditation demonstrates a moderating rather than mediating effect on attachment avoidance, anxiety, and loneliness, with varied directional impacts. This study underscores the relevance of accounting for individual differences in interventions and suggests avenues for further studies. Understanding how meditation operates differently for individuals can benefit both clinicians and researchers. Further investigation into meditation interventions and additional factors affecting loneliness is warranted.