Anxiety in Attachment and Sexual Relationships in Adolescence: A Moderated Mediation Model

Abstract

Adolescence is characterized by several transformations, such as identity construction, progressive estrangement from parents, relational interest in peers, and body changes that also involve sexuality issues. In this process, attachment patterns play a fundamental role in relationships, and when these are dysfunctional, they can result in internalizing and externalizing problems. Often, females show their relational difficulties through internalizing expressions and males through externalizing expressions. Additionally, given the sexual progress involved in this life moment, psychological symptomatology may influence adolescents’ perception of sex and performance. Our purpose is to study the mediating role of internalizing and externalizing symptomatology in the relationship between attachment patterns and sexual and psychological dimensions. In addition, we investigated the moderating effect of the sex assigned at birth on this mediation model. n = 493 adolescents (38.3% males; Mage = 16.51; SD = 1.17) participated in the study. The results show a significant mediation effect of internalizing symptomatology on the relationship between attachment and sexual anxiety. Additionally, this effect is moderated significantly by assigned-at-birth sex. These results confirm that in adolescence, attachment patterns can influence adolescents’ perception of sex. The connection between these two psychological dimensions is influenced by symptomatologic expression. Further investigations are needed.

Unpacking trust: The Italian validation of the Epistemic Trust, Mistrust, and Credulity Questionnaire (ETMCQ)

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Adolescence in lockdown: The protective role of mentalizing and epistemic trust

“…During adolescence, the role of these caregiving relationships profoundly alters (Santona et al, 2022 ). It is well established that one of the parents' functions during infancy is to support the child's ability to regulate their emotions (Santona et al, 2019 ).…”

Responding to Distress Choosing Between Care and Food: Attachment Orientation and Emotion Regulation

“…The intensification of the expression of emotions as a signal for inconstant caregivers/partners together with negative expectations regarding their availability and their support (Gökdag, 2021 ) might lead anxious individuals to attempt to regulate their emotions through food (Wilkinson et al, 2018 ) instead of through social support. In fact, individuals with a higher level of anxious attachment could have a negative image of themselves as unlovable and could develop an attitude of distrust toward others (Santona et al, 2022 ). In our study, the relative higher preference for food pictures in anxious individuals is also in line with clinical studies showing a greater risk (Pace et al, 2022 ) and incidence of eating disorders in the anxious attachment (Tasca and Balfour, 2014 ).…”