Emotional and cognitive consequences of adult attachment: The mediating effect of the self

Abstract

The present study examined the relations between adult attachment orientations and both emotional intelligence and cognitive fragmentation. Authentic self, which refers to a genuine sense of the self, was proposed as a mediator of such relations. One hundred and fifteen undergraduate students participated in the study. Applying Structural Equation Modeling, the results showed that degree of authentic self mediated the relations between attachment dimensions and either emotional intelligence or cognitive fragmentation. Specifically, a higher score on the secure attachment dimension was associated with a greater degree of authentic self, which in turn, was associated with greater levels of emotional intelligence and having fewer fragmented cognitive concepts about the self and romantic relationships. On the other hand, a higher score on the anxious-ambivalent attachment dimension was associated with lower degree of authentic self, which in turn, was associated with a lower level of emotional intelligence and having more fragmented cognitive concepts about the self and romantic relationships. Findings highlight the importance of the self for clearly understanding how the internal working models of attachment are manifested emotionally and cognitively.