The template of attachment : from parents to romantic partners
Date
1998
Authors
Henry, Elizabeth Angela
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Abstract
The association of a young adults' attachment to his or her parents and the attachment style reported in romantic relationships is examined in 170 college students. Subjects were administered the Bartholomew and Horowitz (1991) Relationship Questionnaire, the Griffin and Bartholomew (1994) Relationship Style Questionnaire and the Kenny, Moilanen, Lomax and Brabeck (1993) Parental Attachment Questionnaire. The three measures reflect attachment theory as proposed by Bowlby (1982) and Ainsworth, Blehar, Waters and Wall (1978) that conceptualizes attachment as an enduring affective bond established in childhood that persists across the lifespan and informs later adult close relationships. Results, although not statistically significant, reveal that a template of attachment that is forged by the attachment experiences with parents and influences the choice of romantic partners may indeed exist. Statistical measures to determine the power of the four dyadic relationships, motherĀ daughter, mother-son, father-daughter, father-son were not significant.
Suggestions for further research are discussed.