Enhancing Student Well-Being

University students often face significant mental health challenges, such as depression, exacerbated by academic overload and life changes. Insecure attachment styles further contribute to the mental health difficulties by impairing emotional regulation. The study aimed to assess the long-term impact of a secure attachment priming on students' attachment to their university (classmates and teachers) and well-being. It was assumed that secure attachment priming affects students' university attachment styles (secure, anxious, and avoidant) and well-being. The participants were 93 university students. An 8-week secure attachment priming intervention involving various tasks designed to evoke feelings of secure attachment to the school environment, classmates, and teachers was conducted. Attachment styles and well-being were measured at three points: before the intervention (T1), immediately after it – 8 weeks after (T2), and three months post-intervention (T3). Results showed a significant reduction in anxious attachment style and improved well-being in post-intervention measures (controlled for sex). Secure and avoidant attachment styles did not change significantly over time. The study results demonstrate the potential for secure attachment priming to improve students' mental health. They highlight the protective function of secure attachment against the negative effects of insecure attachment styles, and provide a foundation for developing effective mental health interventions in educational settings, promoting better emotional regulation and resilience against depression among students.