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Object relations and attachment styles in adulthood
Gregor Žvelc
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Written in English. | Published: July 14, 2010
Abstract: Attachment theory and object relations theory both describe interpersonal relationships from childhood throughout the life span. The goal of the research was to investigate the relatedness between dimensions of object relations and attachment styles in adulthood. 176 undergraduate students from University of Ljubljana filled out the Test of Object Relations (Žvelc, 1998) and Relationship Questionnaire (Bartholomew and Horowitz, 1991). Research results showed that there exist significant and theoretically consistent correlations between object relations and attachment styles in adulthood. The secure attachment style refers to a low expression of dependence and alienation dimensions of object relations. The preoccupied attachment style is positively correlated to the dependence dimension. The results of the research confirmed the need for differentiating avoidant attachment styles into two distinctive types. As was to be expected, the fearful-avoidant attachment style is positively correlated to the dependence and alienation dimensions. Although individuals with a fearful-avoidant attachment style long for closer relationships, they are afraid of them. On the other hand, individuals with a dismissive-avoidant attachment style deny their need for relationships and appear to be self-sufficient (correlations with the self-absorption and alienation dimensions). The author proposes that in order to measure adult attachment styles, it would be beneficial to also include the reciprocity – self-absorption dimension.
Keywords: attachment theory, object relations, interpersonal relationships
