Attachment Style and Its Relationships with Early Memories of Separation Anxiety and Adult Separation Anxiety Symptoms among Emerging Adults

Abstract

Emerging adulthood concerns the transition from adolescence to adulthood. It foresees the separation from the family and the creation of new significant relationships, whereby specific attachment styles might be triggered when facing these challenges. The present study investigates the influence of retrospective memories associated with childhood separation anxiety symptoms upon emerging adults’ romantic avoidant vs. anxious attachment styles including adult separation anxiety symptoms as mediators. Age and gender were included as covariates. A community sample of N = 394 Italian emerging adults (Mage = 23.64, SD = 4.00, 70% females) completed self-report measures. The results showed that the participants presented a greater anxious attachment rather than an avoidant attachment style. Moreover, both adult separation anxiety and the memories of early separation anxiety were positively and significantly associated with anxious attachment and not with avoidant attachment. A mediation model conducted and focused on anxious attachment showed that, although not directly associated, child separation anxiety did show a significant positive indirect effect on anxious attachment as mediated by adult separation anxiety symptoms. Thus, the findings highlighted the influence of adult separation anxiety symptoms and retrospective childhood memories of separation anxiety upon anxious adult romantic attachment, yet not on avoidant attachment style. Clinical implications are discussed and suggestions for future research are provided.

Risk Factors Relevant to Adult Separation Anxiety Disorder

“…It is argued that emerging adults with early separation anxiety memories or anxious attachment style will have higher separation anxiety scores, however, avoidant attachment does not affect ASAD. In Bassi et al, about 400 Italian emerging adults were recruited for this study, which aimed to investigate how the symptoms of separation anxiety and retroactive memory affect insecure attachment types in emerging adults [11]. Three self-report questionnaires were utilised to get data from the participants.…”

How is the loss of a parent in youth related to attachment and adult separation anxiety among women?

“…Additionally, a few studies indicated that the loss of a parent in youth may delay efforts to achieve future intimacy due to the fear of losing the partner (e.g., Walter & McCoyd, 2009), and that being in an emotional relationship may arouse separation anxiety (Bögels et al., 2013). Furthermore, it was reported that ASA and the memories of early separation anxiety were positively related to anxious attachment, and that ASA mediated the relationship between childhood separation anxiety and anxious attachment (Bassi et al., 2022). Finally, in a recent study (Yurtseven & Özkul, 2022), a positive association was found between the fearful, preoccupied, and dismissive attachment subscale scores and ASA, while a negative association was found between ASA and secure attachment.…”