Attachment Styles in Close Relationships and Their Impact on Attitudes Toward Appearance

Abstract

The solution to the problem of “appearance (AP) — close, romantic relationships” is carried out, traditionally, in connection with the study of the physical component of AP. On the periphery of attention of researchers remains the consideration of a set of characteristics of the attitude to holistic AP. The aim was to determine the levels of severity of the various characteristics of attitudes to AP and to create a hierarchy of significance of differences depending on the levels of severity of anxiety and avoidance strategies in close relationships. The study involved 136 young people aged 18 to 30 years (Me=23; Mo=23; M=22.75; SD=2.60), 71% women, 28.6% men. Research methods: questionnaire “Experience of close relationships” in the adaptation of T.V. Kazantseva. Scalea “Self-assessment of the generalized type of attachment” (“RQ”) in the adaptation of T.V. Kazantseva; Scales: 1) “significance of AP in romantic relationships”; 2) “assessment of the dependence of the relationship with the romantic partner on the VP”; 3) “assessment of the experiences (awkwardness, stiffness, embarrassment) arising as a result of the presentation of the VP to the romantic partner”; 4) “self-assessment of the attractiveness of the VP for the partner of the opposite sex”. Mathematical procedures: rank transformation of the above variables (levels: low, medium; high); descriptive statistics; Criteria: H Kraskala–Wallis, U Mann–Whitney; Spearman correlation (IBM SPPS Statistic 23.0). Results: the severity of anxiety and avoidance strategies differentiate the levels of severity of various characteristics of the attitude to AP: a high level of anxiety strategy causes a high level of AP significance (U=532.500; p=0.025), high rating of the dependence of a relationship with a romantic partner from AP (U=564.000; p=0.046); a high level of severity of the avoidance strategy leads to a high level of severity of experiences that arise in the situation of presenting one's AP to a romantic partner (U=862.000; p=0.009), reduces the level of self-esteem of the attractiveness of AP for a partner of the opposite sex (U=947.000; p=0.043). Results are important in the development of practice-oriented programs aimed at solving problems in close relationships and reducing their dependence on the attitude to AP.