Successful mediated sexual interactions: understanding how attachment style and relationship uncertainty influence sexting experiences

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the role of both attachment and parental styles in shaping leadership behavioral patterns. Research predictions were that childhood perceived parental experiences will be associated with attachment style, and that both perceived parental and attachment styles will fulfill a significant role in shaping the individual’s leadership orientation in adulthood.Design/methodology/approachThe authors tested the research hypotheses with a field survey data from 90 supervisors belonging to diverse industrial and service organizations. During their attendance in a leadership seminar, the managers’ attachment style was assessed using the Experiences in Close Relationship Inventory. They were also asked to report on their childhood experiences using the Parenting Style Index, and to answer questions regarding their leadership behavior, using a short version of the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire.FindingsResults indicated associations between parental style, attachment style, and leadership. Specifically, parental autonomy granting was negatively associated with both attachment anxiety and avoidance. Both transformational and transactional leadership styles were positively associated with parental autonomy, but only transformational leadership was also positively associated with parental involvement. In addition, transactional leadership was positively associated with attachment avoidance in close relationships.Research limitations/implicationsTesting the contributions of perceived parental style in childhood and attachment style in adulthood to the manager’s manifested leadership style helps to advance our theoretical understanding of important leadership antecedents. The findings may also help practitioners in developing leadership skills and assisting managers in finding ways to moderate their natural tendencies and better depend on, delegate, and empower subordinates.Originality/valueThis empirical study provides evidence of the important role of perceived parental style in the development of adult attachment and leadership styles. The effects found in the study also extend the existing findings by showing that not only the attachment style but also parental style play a significant role in shaping the individual’s leadership behaviors.

The association between individual differences in general attachment styles and psychopathy is currently unclear, despite the potential utility attachment theory could provide regarding the interpersonal characteristics of psychopathy and the etiology of this construct. The purpose of the current investigation was to clarify these associations. For this purpose, we analyzed responses from an Australian community sample (N = 249) and a U.S. community sample (N = 292) containing validated measures of psychopathy (Triarchic Psychopathy Measure and Expanded-Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scales [Australian sample only]) and general attachment styles (Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised-General Short Form and Attachment Styles Questionnaire) to replicate our findings across measures and samples. The psychopathy domain of boldness was consistently negatively associated with insecure attachment styles. Psychopathy's affective domain (meanness, callousness) was consistently associated with avoidant attachment, whereas its behavioral domain (disinhibition, antisocial) was consistently associated with insecure attachment styles, particularly anxious attachment. Our findings suggest that there are consistent associations between individual differences in general attachment styles and psychopathy in adult samples and provides preliminary support for further consideration of attachment theory in psychopathy research. (PsycINFO Database Record

Attachment style, relationship quality, and psychological distress in patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures versus epilepsy

Introduction. An Ambitious Agenda. Scientific. Comprehensive. Explanatory. Psychology of ... Religion. A New Direction. Attachment Theory. Evolutionary Psychology. The Plan of This Book. Introduction to Attachment Theory. Backdrop. The Attachment System. Other Related Systems. The Phenomenology of Attachment. Individual Differences in Attachment in Childhood. Multiple Attachment Figures. Internal Working Models and the Stability of Attachment Patterns. Attachment in Adulthood. Attachment and Adult Romantic Relationships. Individual Differences in Adult Romantic Attachment. Factorial and Dimensional Models. The Formation and Development of Adult Love Bonds. An Alternative Approach to Adult Attachment. Attachment and Evolutionary Psychology. Summary and Conclusions. God as an Attachment Figure. Religion as Relationship. But Is It Really an Attachment Relationship? Seeking and Maintaining Proximity to God. Proximity in Belief and Myth. Facilitating Psychological Proximity. Prayer. Other Religious Behaviors. God as a Haven of Safety. Crisis and Distress. Illness and Injury. Death and Grieving. God as a Secure Base. Phenomenology. Psychological Outcomes. Responses to Separation and Loss. Summary and Conclusions. More on Religion as an Attachment Process: Extensions and Limitations. Religion and Love. What Kind of Love? Romantic Attachment vs. Attachment to God. God as a Parental Figure. Individual Differences in Images of God. God as a Benevolent Caregiver. God as Controlling and Demanding. Children's Beliefs about God. Beyond God: Extensions and Limitations. To Generalize, or Not to Generalize? The Problem with Parsimony. Other Forms of Attachment (or Not) in Religion. Relationships with Other Supernatural Beings. Relationships with Religious Leaders. Relationships with Fellow Worshipers and Other Peers. Relationships with Groups. Nontheistic Religions. Summary and Conclusions. Individual Differences in Attachment and Religion: The Correspondence Hypothesis. Mental Models and the Correspondence Hypothesis. Correspondence in Childhood and Adolescence. Correspondence in Adulthood. Correspondence Across Cultures. Internal Working Models of Self and Others. Continuity from Childhood to Adulthood. The Socialized Correspondence Hypothesis. The Two-Level Correspondence Hypothesis. 'Socialization' as an Alternative Explanation. The Inadequacy of 'Socialization' as Explanation. The Epidemiology of Beliefs. Individual Differences Revisited. Summary and Conclusions. God as a Substitute Attachment Figure: The Compensation Hypothesis. Individual Differences and Religious Conversion. Individual Differences in Childhood Attachment and Conversion. Sudden Religious Conversion. Other Evidence for a Compensation Model. A Two-Process Model. Individual Differences in Adult Attachment. Contextual Factors in Religious Change. Separation and Loss. Bereavement. Relationship Dissolution. Unavailability of Attachment Figures. Perceived Inadequacy of Human Attachment Figures. Cultural Factors. Summary and Conclusions. Attachment in Context: Introduction to Evolutionary Psychology. Evolutionary Psychology as a Paradigm or Metatheory. Adaptation and Natural Selection. Adaptations. 'Selfish Genes' and Inclusive Fitness. Domain-Specificity and the Mental-Organs Model. Nature 'versus' Nurture. Stone-Age Minds in Modern Environments. Individual Differences in Evolutionary Context. Stable Environmental Differences. Direct Genetic Effects. Frequency-Dependent Adaptive Strategies. Early Environmental Calibration. An Example of Facultative Strategies: Human Mating. Are Evolutionary Explanations Unfalsifiable? Some Illustrative Examples: Politics, Music, and Sports. Summary and Conclusions. Attachment Theory in Modern Evolutionary Perspective. Childhood Attachment in Modern Evolutionary Perspective. Parental Caregiving and Parent-Offspring Conflict. Individual Differences in Childhood Attachment. Attachment and Reproductive Strategies. The Belsky, Steinberg,

Coregulation of biological systems is a defining feature of normative attachment in close adult relationships. Sleep is a shared, intimate biological process between couples; however, sleep is usually examined at the individual level. We examined minute-by-minute concordance in couples' actigraphy-defined sleep-wake patterns, and how attachment style and marital satisfaction relate to concordance. Couples completed measures of avoidant and anxious attachment styles and relationship functioning and wore wrist actigraphs for 10 days. Minute-by-minute concordance of sleep and wake (i.e., the percentage of epochs in which both partners were asleep, or both were awake) was calculated for each sleep period. Mixed modeling was used to account for measurement occasions across time. Percent concordance ranged from 53-88% and was not associated with couples' sleep quality or circadian preference. For wives, neither anxious nor avoidant attachment was associated with sleep-wake concordance. For husbands, anxious attachment style was associated with higher concordance, but was moderated by wives' marital satisfaction. High marital satisfaction in wives was associated with higher concordance, regardless of husbands' attachment style. In couples in which wives reported low satisfaction, concordance was higher when husbands had an anxious attachment style. Avoidant attachment style in husbands was not related to concordance. Sleep concordance provides a unique measure of couples' cosleep and varies depending on attachment style and relationship satisfaction.

Texting, sexting, and attachment in college students’ romantic relationships

Sexting, defined as "sending, receiving, or forwarding sexually explicit messages, images, or photos through electronic means, particularly between cell phones" (Klettke, Hallford, & Mellor, 2014), should be viewed within the framework of sexual health promotion which requires the recognition of the value of sexual pleasure and the promotion of sexual relationships that are safe, consensual, honest, and mutually pleasurable (World Health Organization, 2006). Past research has approached sexting as a risky activity (Drouin & Landgraff, 2012; Drouin, Vogel, Surbey, & Stills, 2013; Gordon-Messer, Bauermeister, Grodzinski, & Zimmerman, 2013; Henderson & Morgan, 2011; Rice et al., 2012). This approach fails to account for the possible positive effects of open sexual communication with a partner. This study attempted to determine whether attitudes towards and motives for sexting moderate the relationship between sexting and relationship and sexual satisfaction among an adult population, in order to determine under what circumstances sexting is a risk factor and under what circumstances might it be a protective factor. Participants (N = 870) were recruited via Amazon's Mechanical Turk and completed measures concerning demographics, relationship status, attachment style, gender roles, sexting behaviors, sexting motives and wantedness, perceived outcomes of sexting, and relationship and sexual satisfaction. Respondents were aged 18- 82 years (M = 35.30; SD = 10.02), predominantly female (57.70%), white (80.6%), and in a relationship (74.0%). The majority (87.80%) of the sample reported having sexted in their lifetime. Results showed that attachment was not significantly related to past sexting behavior. Hostile sexism, but not benevolent sexism, was positively related to past sexting behavior. Sexting was positively related to sexual satisfaction and did not vary by frequency of "unwanted but consensual sexting" or motives for sexting. Sexting was positively related to relationship satisfaction for individuals who did not report being in "very committed relationships" but not for individuals who did. If individuals reported never or rarely engaging in unwanted sexting, higher levels of sexting were related to higher levels of relationship satisfaction; however, for individuals in committed relationships who reported higher frequencies of unwanted sexting, higher levels of sexting were related to lower levels of relationship satisfaction. Lower levels of intimacy and hedonism were associated with stronger relationships between sexting and relationship satisfaction. For those in very committed relationships, at high levels of these motives, more sexting was related to lower relationship satisfaction. Although individuals in very committed relationships had generally higher levels of relationship satisfaction than those not in very committed relationships, the relationships between sexting and relationship satisfaction did not very by relationship commitment for selfaffirmation, coping, or partner-approval motives. At low levels of any of these motives, sexting and relationship satisfaction are positively related, but at high levels, more sexting is related to lower satisfaction. More sexting behavior was related to higher attitudes of relational expectations regarding sexting and of sexting as "fun and carefree". Individuals who reported more sexting reported fewer perceived risks of sexting. Increasing levels of self-affirmation motives for sexting were found to attenuate the positive relationship between sexting behavior and "fun and carefree" attitudes such that individuals with the highest levels of self-affirmation motives exhibited an inverse relationship between the two variables. Strengths and limitations of the study are discussed. Taken together, the data indicate that not all sexting is equal. While sexting appears to be generally good for sexual satisfaction, wantedness of and motives for sexting matter within the context of a relationship. Unwanted sexting is bad for relationship satisfaction. Wanted sexting is good for sexual and relationship satisfaction among heterosexuals. This is an important and novel study with exciting clinical implications.

Objective To explore the relationship of adult attachment, life orientation style and job burnout among nurses. Methods Relationship Questionnaire (RQ) and Experience of close relationships (ECR) inventory were used to measure 566 nurses' adult attachment. Life orientation test (LOT-R) and Maslach's Burnout Inventory-General Scale (MBI-GS) were administrated to measure subjects' optimism, pessimism, and job burnout. Results ①Distribution of adult attachment style in nurses were 36% for secure, 29.3% for dismissing, 18.4% for preoccupied and 6.7% for fearful.②Attachment avoidance were positive correlated with pessimism (r=0.139) and negative correlated with optimism (r=-0.212) significantly; and there was significant positive correlation between attachment avoidance and ineffectiveness (r=0.122) also. Attachment anxiety was positively related to pessimism (r=0.151), and three indexes of job burnout (r=0.238, 0.281, 0.143 respectively). Meanwhile, there were significant negative correlations among optimism and job burnout indexes (r=-0.12, -0.193, -0.230). ③There were significant differences among four attachment groups on optimism and pessimism. For job burnout, the four groups had significant differences only on depersonalization, instead of ineffectiveness and emotion exhaustion. ④ Regression analysis suggested that attachment anxious was a valid positive predictor of job burnout, while optimism was a negative predictor. Conclusion Both adult attachment and life orientation style are contributed to job burnout among nurses. Key words: Adult attachment; Optimism; Pessimism; Job burnout

BackgroundThere is a growing interest in nomophobia, which is defined as the fear of being out of cellular phone contact, or "feelings of discomfort or anxiety experienced by individuals when they are unable to use their mobile phones or utilize the affordances these devices provide”. However, only limited research can be found in terms of its determinants at present. Contemporary literature suggests that the relationships among attachment styles, mindfulness, and nomophobia have not been investigated.ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the mediating effect of mindfulness on the relationship between attachment and nomophobia. In addition, the study also focuses on gender differences in attachment, mindfulness, and nomophobia. A theory-based structural model was tested to understand the essentials of the associations between the constructs.MethodsThe Experiences in Close Relationships Scale, Nomophobia Questionnaire, and Mindful Attention Awareness Scale were used to collect data from undergraduate students (N=450; 70.9% women [319/450]; mean age=21.94 years [SD 3.61]). Two measurement models (ie, attachment and mindfulness) and a structural model were specified, estimated, and evaluated.ResultsThe structural equation model shows that the positive direct effects of avoidant (.13, P=.03) and anxious attachment (.48, P<.001) on nomophobia were significant. The negative direct effects of avoidant (−.18, P=.01) and anxious attachment (−.33, P<.001) on mindfulness were also significant. Moreover, mindfulness has a significant negative effect on nomophobia for women only (−.13, P=.03). Finally, the Sobel test showed that the indirect effects of avoidant and anxious attachment on nomophobia via mindfulness were significant (P<.001). The direct and indirect effects of anxious attachment, avoidant attachment, and mindfulness altogether accounted for 33% of the total variance in nomophobia. Gender comparison results show that there is a significant difference in attachment based on gender (F2,447=6.97, P=.01, Wilk λ=.97, partial η2=.03). Women (mean 68.46 [SD 16.96]) scored significantly higher than men (mean 63.59 [SD 15.97]) in anxious attachment (F1=7.93, P=.01, partial η2=.02). Gender differences in mindfulness were not significant (F4,448=3.45, P=.69). On the other hand, results do show significant gender differences in nomophobia (F4,445=2.71, P=.03, Wilk λ=.98, partial η2=.02) where women scored significantly higher than men.ConclusionsIn general, individuals who are emotionally more dependent and crave more closeness and attention in the relationship tend to display higher levels of fear or discomfort when they have no access to their mobile phones. However, gender has a differential impact on the relationship between avoidant attachment and nomophobia. This study establishes the impact of mindfulness on nomophobia for women; therefore, future studies should test the effectiveness of mindfulness-based therapy approaches and confirm whether they are effective and efficient. On the basis of significant gender difference in nomophobia and attachment, we conclude that gender should be taken into account in mindfulness-based treatments dealing with nomophobia.

IntroductionInsecure attachment styles among people with schizophrenia may exacerbate psychiatric symptoms and emotional distress, complicating recovery.ObjectivesThis study aimed to assess attachment styles among individuals with schizophrenia and explore their relationship to symptomatology and emotional distress.MethodsA cross-sectional descriptive correlational design was employed, involving 220 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. Participants were assessed using the Psychosis Attachment Measure (PAM) to determine attachment styles, the Robertson Emotional Distress Scale (REDS) to evaluate emotional distress, and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) to assess psychiatric symptoms.ResultsThe study found that 72.5% of participants exhibited high levels of avoidant attachment, while 61.7% displayed significant anxious attachment tendencies. Emotional distress was prevalent, with a mean REDS score of 43.48 ± 3.54, indicating high emotional distress levels. Positive correlations were identified between emotional distress and both avoidant (r = .378, p = .008) and anxious attachment (r = .644, p < .01). Additionally, psychiatric symptoms correlated positively with avoidant (r = .434, p = .018) and anxious attachment (r = .474, p < .01). Multiple regression analysis indicated that anxious attachment was a stronger predictor of psychiatric symptoms (B = 0.72, p < .001) and emotional distress (B = 0.82, p < .001) compared to avoidant attachment.ConclusionThis study highlights the relationship between attachment styles, emotional distress, and psychiatric symptoms in schizophrenia. Participants exhibited avoidant and anxious attachment, linked to heightened emotional distress and severe symptoms. Avoidant attachment was characterized by emotional withdrawal and self-reliance, while anxious attachment involved dependency and relational anxiety. These insecure patterns predicted the severity of psychiatric symptoms, emotional distress, and anxious attachment. The findings emphasize the importance of addressing attachment dynamics in therapeutic nursing for schizophrenia, as these factors may worsen symptoms and emotional challenges. Using attachment-focused approaches can enable mental health nurses to better support symptom management and enhance well-being.

The present study aimed to explore the relationship between insecure attachment (attachment anxiety and avoidance) and depressive symptoms in Chinese young adults as well as the mediating roles of positive and negative self-compassion. An online survey was administered among college students in mainland China. This involved their completion of questionnaires encompassing socio-demographic details, attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, self-compassion, and depressive symptoms. Attachment anxiety and avoidance exhibited connections with depressive symptoms through increased negative self-compassion and decreased positive self-compassion. Attachment anxiety was associated with depressive symptoms primarily through the mediating effect of negative self-compassion. Conversely, attachment avoidance was related to depressive symptoms mainly through the mediating role of positive self-compassion. Attachment anxiety exerted a slightly stronger influence on negative self-compassion, whereas attachment avoidance exhibited a more prominent impact on positive self-compassion. Despite these differences, both attachment styles were comparable in their overall influence on depressive symptoms. This revelation provides fresh insights into the relationship between insecure attachment and depressive symptoms among young adults, underscoring the importance for intervention program development.

Forgiveness is a prosocial mechanism that facilitates both intra- and inter-personal wellbeing. Attachment security has been identified as supporting forgiveness through positive representations of self and other. This thesis examined attachment theory as a framework for understanding forgiveness. This was achieved through two overarching research areas: initial examination of the mechanisms between trait insecure attachment dimensions (anxiety and avoidance) and forgiveness of close other, and the potential of state attachment security (via attachment security priming) as a means of supporting forgiveness. One meta-analysis and four empirical studies examined the influence of insecure attachment dimensions on forgiveness of others. Study 1 was a meta-analysis of 26 studies and demonstrated a small-to-moderate negative effect of attachment anxiety and avoidance on forgiveness of others. Study 2 examined the association between insecure attachment dimensions and forgiveness of a hypothetical relationship partner. Attachment anxiety and avoidance both negatively predicted forgiveness, regardless of severity of transgression and presence/ absence of apology. Indirect effects of rumination, empathy, and negative attributions were present for both attachment anxiety and avoidance, but unique indirect effects were also identified. Fear mediated the anxiety-forgiveness association and motivation to sustain the relationship mediating the avoidance-forgiveness association. This study also clarified the factor structure of forgiveness and related post-transgression responses. Study 3 assessed the efficacy of attachment security priming on boosting forgiveness of a hypothetical transgression and clarified the type of fear that mediates the anxiety-forgiveness association (i.e., fear of losing relationship partner). Attachment security priming successfully boosted Positive Forgiveness but did not reduce the negative effects of Revenge, Avoidance, and Grudge Motivations. Study 4 examined the effect of attachment security priming on forgiveness of an experimentally manipulated transgression using real-life romantic couples in the lab. No effect of prime or transgression was identified. Methodological considerations are discussed. Study 5 examined forgiveness of daily transgressions over a 2-week period and assessed the effect of attachment security priming on forgiveness during this time. Security priming was effective in boosting forgiveness and reducing negative post-transgression responses over the 2-week period, but not at a 2-week follow up. Overall, findings support a negative association between insecure attachment dimensions and forgiveness of relationship partners and highlight the unique role of fear and motivation. This thesis also demonstrates the first use of attachment security priming to boost forgiveness. These findings support the use of attachment theory as a framework for examining when and why we forgive.

ABSTRACTThe aim of the current study was to examine attachment style as a predictor of risky sexual behavior in a younger, more vulnerable sample than previously investigated in the literature: High school aged adolescents. The hypothesized associations among the variables were partially supported. Contrary to our predictions, there was no significant association between avoidance and risky sexual behavior. However, higher anxiety was positively associated with risky sexual behavior. Finally, the prediction that the highest levels of risky sexual behavior would be found for those individuals with higher levels of anxiety and higher levels of avoidance (i.e., insecure attachment style) was supported.Keywords: Risky Sexual Behavior, Attachment Style, Adolescents1. INTRODUCTIONDeveloped by Bowlby (1982; 1983), attachment theory asserts that individuals from internal working models, or mental representations of self and other, which impact their feelings about and behavior in, relationships. Models of self can be either positive (i.e., one feels worthy of love and care) or negative (i.e., one feels unworthy of love and care) and models of other can be either positive (i.e., one feels others are available and responsive) or negative (i.e., one feels others are distant or rejecting) (Batholomew, 1990). A secure attachment style is characterized by possessing both positive models of self and of other. In contrast, insecure attachment styles are categorized as anxious or avoidant. An anxious attachment style is characterized by a negative model of self, while an avoidant attachment style is characterized as a negative model of other (Feeney and Noller, 1996). Although attachment was initially studied in the context of parent-child relationships, Bowlby (1982) contended that subsequent interactions with other relationship partners could potentially update one's working models. In subsequent research, attachment was studied in other types of relationships (e.g., with peers and romantic partners) and these studies found that models of self and other can vary across different types of relationships (Collins and Read, 1994; Guardia et al., 2000).One of the primary differences between romantic relationship attachment and other types of attachment relationships (e.g., peers, parents) is that romantic relationships include the integration of sexual behavior (Bowlby, 1982; 1983; Shaver et al, 1988). Indeed, studies have shown that couples report a reciprocal relationship between attachment and their sexual relationships (Feeney, 1999; Sprecher and Cate, 2004). A series of reviews by Feeney (1999) and Feeney and Noller (2004) indicate that attachment styles influence how adults interpret many aspects of their romantic relationships, including their sexual attitudes and beliefs and several studies have focused on the association between romantic relationship attachment and sexual behavior (Bogaert and Sadava, 2002; Gentzler and Kerns, 2004; Strachman and Impett, 2009).In a study of college undergraduates, Strachman and Impett (2009) examined how attachment style (i.e., avoidance or anxiety) was associated with condom use across a period of 14 days. Attachment style was measured using the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale (Brennan et al, 1998), which is a 36 item self-report measure of attachment style which yields scores for anxiety and avoidance, with low scores on both indicating a secure attachment style. During the two week period, participants were asked to keep a diary of their sexual contact and indicate if a condom was used during intercourse. The study found that participants with an anxious attachment style were less likely to use condoms. The association between attachment style and condom use remained significant when controlling for other related variables such as gender, alternative birth control use, sex frequency and knowledge of a partner's sexual history.In a similar study, Gentzler and Kerns (2004) examined the association between attachment style and sexual behaviors in college students. …

Adult attachment and physical health

This research was aimed to study the relationship between attachment style and relationship quality among young couples. A correlational research design was adopted to answer the objectives of this study. A total of 257 students of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Sarawak participated in this study. Two types of questionnaire were used in this study; the Experience in Close Relationship (ECR) to measure the attachment styles, and Couples Satisfaction Index (CSI) to measure the relationship satisfaction of the couples. The results showed that there was a significant relationship between attachment style and relationship quality among the young couples in UNIMAS. Attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety had a significant effect on the relationship quality of the young couples. It is suggested for future studies to consider selecting the samples by using simple random sampling as the targeted population would be able to represent the whole population and the result would be more accurate. Keywords: Attachment avoidance; attachment anxiety