Although attachment theory was initially developed on the basis of observations of infants and their caregivers, attachment relationships and attachment styles have relevance across the lifespan (Ainsworth 1978; Bowlby 1982). Proponents of the theory argue that attachment relationships continue to be important throughout adulthood by providing the individual with a secure base from which to gro...

Background: Attachment is defined as lasting emotional connectedness. Attachment experiences are one of the basic ingredients in the complexly determined relationship between early experiences of parental care, personality growth and behavior. Attachment theory has been major aids in helping researchers understand how the quality of early and continuing close relationships affect children’s and...

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between behavioral and emotional engagement of Iranian EFL learners and their attachment to their teachers. Both teachers’ and students’ perceptions of their relationships and students’ engagement have been taken into account. Questionnaire data provided by 311 EFL students and 70 EFL  teachers was used to investigate the relation betwee...

In this study, the authors examined geographically close (GCRs) and long-distance (LDRs) romantic relationship satisfaction as explained by insecure attachment, self-disclosure, gossip, and idealization. After college student participants (N = 536) completed a Web survey, structural equation modeling (SEM) multigroup analysis revealed that the GCR and LDR models were nonequivalent, as expected....

A dual task of attachment priming and memory recognition was proposed to explore the effect of adult attachment styles on the incidental memory for emotional words. Subjects completed an attachment priming task which intends to activate internal working model of attachment by describing attachment-related scenes, and then an incidental memory recognition test of words which differ in emotional ...

Two studies examined the association between attachment style and perceptions of social support. Study 1 (N = 95 couples) used an experimental paradigm to manipulate social support in the context of a stressful task. Insecure participants (anxious and avoidant) who received low-support messages appraised these messages more negatively, rated a prior behavioral interaction with their partner as ...

PURPOSE The aim of this study is to explore the role of attachment styles in obesity. MATERIAL AND METHODS The present study explored differences in insecure attachment styles between an obese sample waiting for bariatric surgery (n = 195) and an age, sex and height matched normal weight control group (n = 195). It then explored the role of attachment styles in predicting change in BMI 1 year...

Different evolutionary perspectives offer competing views on short-term mating and attachment. Some theories argue that short-term mating results from insecure attachment, particularly the maladaptive attachment features of low self-esteem, interpersonal distrust, social avoidance, and emotional instability. Other theories posit that short-term mating is adaptive, having evolved as an ecologica...