Adult attachment style and salivary alpha-amylase and emotional responses to a psychosocial stressor in women with eating disorders

•Anxious attachment is associated with lower salivary α-amylase levels in ED people.•Avoidant attachment is not associated with salivary α-amylase response to stress.•Avoidant attached patients showed higher levels of anxiety during stress.•Attachment style may affect biological and affective response to psychosocial stress.