Attachment styles and anxiety of rejecters in intimate relationships
Submission date: 2014-10-10
Final revision date: 2014-12-01
Acceptance date: 2014-12-01
Online publication date: 2014-12-24
Publication date: 2014-12-08
Current Issues in Personality Psychology 2014;2(4):185–195
KEYWORDS
dropping a partnerthe dissolution of an intimate relationshipanxietyattachment stylesdropping a partnerdissolution of an intimate relationship
TOPICS
the role of personality in interpersonal relations and social behaviorsindividual differencespersonality and behavior dynamics
ABSTRACT
Background
In this paper, the problem of the lack of stability of intimate female-male relationships, the intensity of which is currently increasing, is presented. Attention is focused on early-childhood attachment styles and anxiety in rejecters in intimate relationships.
Participants and procedure
The research included 120 individuals: 60 individuals who had dropped 3-15 partners (on average, M = 3.77 partners) and 60 individuals from the control group. The following research tools were applied: the Attachment Styles Inventory, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).
Results
The results showed that rejecters in intimate relationships obtained higher results than individuals from the control group in an avoidant and an anxious-ambivalent attachment style, and lower ones in a secure attachment style, as well as higher ones in anxiety as a trait. Sex itself was not a differentiating factor in any of the studied variables. An avoidant attachment style, and anxiety as a trait, were predictors of being a rejecter.
Conclusions
The obtained results confirm the fundamental findings of the theory of attachment indicating that the lower the level of a secure style is, the lower is the level of interpersonal skills.
In this paper, the problem of the lack of stability of intimate female-male relationships, the intensity of which is currently increasing, is presented. Attention is focused on early-childhood attachment styles and anxiety in rejecters in intimate relationships.
Participants and procedure
The research included 120 individuals: 60 individuals who had dropped 3-15 partners (on average, M = 3.77 partners) and 60 individuals from the control group. The following research tools were applied: the Attachment Styles Inventory, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).
Results
The results showed that rejecters in intimate relationships obtained higher results than individuals from the control group in an avoidant and an anxious-ambivalent attachment style, and lower ones in a secure attachment style, as well as higher ones in anxiety as a trait. Sex itself was not a differentiating factor in any of the studied variables. An avoidant attachment style, and anxiety as a trait, were predictors of being a rejecter.
Conclusions
The obtained results confirm the fundamental findings of the theory of attachment indicating that the lower the level of a secure style is, the lower is the level of interpersonal skills.
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