Post-traumatic growth refers to positive psychological changes that may emerge following the struggle with trauma, reflected in greater personal strength, deeper relationships, and a renewed perspective on life. While extensive research has examined factors that facilitate post-traumatic growth, less is known about the distinct roles of attachment orientations and the potential moderating role of resilience.

The present study examined the unique contributions of anxious and avoidant attachment orientations to post-traumatic growth and investigated whether resilience moderates the association between attachment-related vulnerabilities and growth following trauma.

The sample included 205 Israeli adults (Age, M = 30.93, SD = 9.23), recruited through social media. Participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing attachment orientations, resilience, and post-traumatic growth.

Both anxious and avoidant attachment orientations were associated with lower levels of resilience, which was also positively associated with post-traumatic growth. When avoidant attachment was controlled, anxious attachment showed a positive association with growth. In contrast, avoidant attachment was linked to lower post-traumatic growth, but only among individuals with low to moderate levels of resilience.

Findings suggest that although anxious and avoidant attachment orientations are traditionally viewed as markers of psychological vulnerability, they may play distinct roles in shaping post-traumatic growth. Moreover, resilience appears to mitigate the limiting effects of avoidant attachment, highlighting its potential role as a protective factor in the aftermath of trauma. These findings also may have several clinical implications, including the development of adaptive strategies that address attachment anxiety - related challenges and the promotion of resilience as a potential resource associated with post-trauma growth.