close relationships

This study examines adult romantic attachment among university students, focusing on attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance. A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional design was used, involving 50 students aged 18 to 28 years. Data were collected through an online questionnaire using the 12-item Experiences in Close Relationships?Short Form (ECR-S). The results showed moderate attachment anxiety (M = 3.78, SD = 1.03) and low-to-moderate attachment avoidance (M = 3.16, SD = 0.90). A weak positive correlation was observed between the two dimensions (r = .16, p = .264), but the relationship was not statistically significant. Exploratory analysis identified a statistically significant difference in attachment avoidance across years of study, while the observed gender difference in attachment anxiety was not statistically significant. These demographic findings require cautious interpretation because of the small subgroup sizes. Overall, participants reported greater concern about rejection than discomfort with emotional closeness. The findings support examining attachment anxiety and avoidance as distinct dimensions of romantic attachment. However, the small convenience sample, reliance on self-reported responses, and cross-sectional design limit the generalisability of the results. Further research involving larger and more diverse student populations is recommended to examine attachment patterns and their relationship with demographic and interpersonal factors.

This study examined the influence of attachment style on fear of intimacy among emerging adults aged 18–25 years. A quantitative approach involved 152 participants who were currently or had previously been in romantic relationships, recruited through convenience sampling. Data were collected using the Experiences in Close Relationships–Revised (ECR-R) and Fear of Intimacy Scale (FIS). Linear regression analysis showed that insecure attachment significantly predicted fear of intimacy (β = 0.570, p < .001). Both attachment avoidance (β = 0.432, p < .001) and attachment anxiety (β = 0.368, p < .001) were significant predictors, with avoidance showing a stronger association. These findings suggest that discomfort with emotional closeness and anxiety in romantic relationships are associated with greater fear of intimacy. The results highlight the potential value of psychological interventions that support emerging adults in developing safer and healthier romantic relationships.

Background. Emotional adversities and social context may influence romantic relationships and psychological well-being, especially within the LGBTQ+ community. However, the present study does not directly measure stigmatization. Aim. The study aimed to evaluate the interplay between attachment styles, relationship satisfaction, and psychological well-being, while considering the distinctions between LGBTQ+ individuals and their heterosexual counterparts. Methods. A quantitative correlational methodology was employed for the study, utilizing a stratified sample of 100 participants: 40 LGBTQ+ individuals and 60 heterosexuals. Standardized instruments were utilized to assess attachment styles, relationship satisfaction, and psychological well-being (ECR-S, RSI, PWB). Statistical processing included MANOVA, correlation and regression analysis. Results. The findings revealed significant disparities in the distribution of attachment styles between groups. The LGBTQ+ group showed higher rates of anxious attachment (35% vs. 23%; p=0.046) compared to the heterosexual group. Secure attachment was positively correlated with both relationship satisfaction (r=0.72) and well-being (r=0.65), whereas avoidant and anxious-avoidant styles exerted a detrimental effect on these indicators. Discussion. The obtained results underscore the critical importance of secure attachment in fostering emotional stability and harmony within relationships. This is kept but moved slightly later and presented as a cautious interpretation, not a finding. Conclusion. The study emphasizes the significance of cultivating a secure attachment style by ensuring emotional safety and adaptive strategies in relationships. The findings contribute to the enhancement of psychological support programs aimed at enhancing relationship quality and well-being across diverse social groups.

Objective Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is an urgent and substantial public health concern among adolescents. This study is aimed at identifying the independent psychological predictors of NSSI and developing and validating a logistic regression-based risk discrimination model focused on coping styles. Methods A cross-sectional study involving 206 adolescents (104 with NSSI and 102 healthy controls) was conducted. All the participants provided general demographic data, and completed the Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory (ECR), the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form Version (CTQ-SF), and the Coping Styles Questionnaire (CSQ). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the independent predictors of NSSI. A nomogram was constructed in accordance with the final multivariate model. Model performance was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration plots, the Hosmer-Lemeshow (HL) test, and a decision curve analysis (DCA). Results Multivariate logistic regression revealed that a higher level of self-blame (OR = 1.062; 95% CI: 1.023–1.102; P = 0.002) was an independent risk factor, whereas a better problem-solving capacity (OR = 0.911; 95% CI: 0.867–0.957; P < 0.001) was an independent protective factor for adolescents with NSSI. Attachment dimensions and childhood trauma did not retain independent significance after adjustment. The nomogram showed excellent discrimination (AUC = 0.951, 95% CI: 0.922–0.980), good calibration (HL test P > 0.05), and superior clinical net benefit across a wide threshold (0.01–0.99). Conclusion Targeting self-blame and enhancing problem-solving skills may be effective styles for the prevention of adolescent NSSI. As a preliminary finding, the nomogram developed in our study is a useful tool for exploratory differentiation.

Aim: This study explores the interaction between emotion regulation (ER) processes, adult attachment styles, and interpersonal relationship styles. The primary aim is to identify key determinants of interpersonal relationship styles by examining how ER strategies and difficulties shape social interactions in combination with attachment patterns.Method: The sample consists of 420 adults between 18 and 65 recruited using a snowball sampling. Participants were given several self-report questionnaires, including the Demographic Information Form, ER Questionnaire (ERQ), Difficulties in ER Scale-Short Form (DERS-16), Experiences in Close Relationships Scale-Revised (ECR-R), and Interpersonal Relationships Scale (IRS). The relationships between the continuous variables of the study were evaluated by Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient; the predictor variables were evaluated by Multiple Linear Regression Analysis.Results: The findings indicate significant correlations between ER strategies, ER difficulties, attachment styles, and interpersonal relationship styles. Specifically, engagement in cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression and difficulties with impulse control and emotional clarity emerged as important predictors of interpersonal relationship styles. Individuals with higher scores on emotional clarity and adaptive regulation strategies tended to engage in more supportive and constructive interpersonal interactions. In contrast, difficulties in managing emotions were associated with higher levels of conflict-oriented inhibitory relational tendencies. Additionally, attachment styles played an important role; anxious and avoidant attachment scores were significantly correlated negative interpersonal tendencies.Conclusion: By emphasizing the dynamic interaction between emotional processes and attachment experiences in shaping social dynamics, these findings offer valuable insights for psychological interventions to improve ER skills and build healthier relationships in adulthood.

هدف: این پژوهش به بررسی تعامل بین فرایندهای تنظیم هیجان (ER)، سبک‌های دلبستگی بزرگسالان و سبک‌های روابط بین‌فردی می‌پردازد. هدف اصلی، شناسایی تعیین‌کننده‌های کلیدی سبک‌های روابط بین‌فردی از طریق بررسی نحوه تأثیر راهبردها و دشواری‌های تنظیم هیجان بر تعاملات اجتماعی در ترکیب با الگوهای دلبستگی است. روش: نمونه شامل ۴۲۰ بزرگسال بین ۱۸ تا ۶۵ سال بود که با استفاده از روش نمونه‌گیری گلوله‌برفی انتخاب شدند. به شرکت‌کنندگان چندین پرسشنامه خودگزارشی از جمله فرم اطلاعات جمعیت‌شناختی، پرسشنامه تنظیم هیجان (ERQ)، فرم کوتاه مقیاس دشواری‌های تنظیم هیجان (DERS-16)، مقیاس تجارب در روابط نزدیک-نسخه بازنگری‌شده (ECR-R) و مقیاس روابط بین‌فردی (IRS) داده شد. روابط بین متغیرهای پیوسته پژوهش با ضریب همبستگی حاصل‌ضرب لحظه‌ای پیرسون ارزیابی شد؛ متغیرهای پیش‌بین با تحلیل رگرسیون خطی چندگانه بررسی شدند. یافته‌ها: نتایج نشان داد که بین راهبردهای تنظیم هیجان، دشواری‌های تنظیم هیجان، سبک‌های دلبستگی و سبک‌های روابط بین‌فردی همبستگی معناداری وجود دارد. به طور خاص، درگیر شدن در ارزیابی شناختی مجدد و سرکوب ابرازگری و دشواری در کنترل تکانه و وضوح هیجانی به عنوان پیش‌بین‌های مهم سبک‌های روابط بین‌فردی ظاهر شدند. افرادی که نمرات بالاتری در وضوح هیجانی و راهبردهای تنظیم سازگارانه داشتند، تمایل بیشتری به تعاملات بین‌فردی حمایتی و سازنده نشان دادند. در مقابل، دشواری در مدیریت هیجان‌ها با سطوح بالاتر گرایش‌های بازدارنده مبتنی بر تعارض در روابط همراه بود. همچنین، سبک‌های دلبستگی نقش مهمی ایفا کردند؛ نمرات دلبستگی اضطرابی و اجتنابی با گرایش‌های منفی بین‌فردی همبستگی معناداری داشتند. نتیجه‌گیری: با تأکید بر تعامل پویا بین فرایندهای هیجانی و تجارب دلبستگی در شکل‌دهی پویایی‌های اجتماعی، این یافته‌ها بینش‌های ارزشمندی برای مداخلات روان‌شناختی به منظور بهبود مهارت‌های تنظیم هیجان و ایجاد روابط سالم‌تر در بزرگسالی ارائه می‌دهد.