Romantic Attachment Among Young Adults: The Effects of Parental Divorce and Residential Instability

Katherine N. Washington, Jason D. Hans

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Using an attachment theory perspective, variation in adult romantic attachment style outcomes were examined according to childhood experiences of parental divorce and residential instability. The sample was made up of 172 young adults who were recruited using snowball sampling via online social networking. A statistical difference on adult romantic attachment style was not found between individuals who experience parental divorce and those who did not, and parental conflict and stability of residence patterns did not have a statistical impact on attachment avoidance or anxiety. However, conflict, residential stability, and time with nonresidential parent statistically improved the predictive ability of attachment anxiety among those whose parents had divorced. Specifically, time with nonresidential parent moderated adult romantic attachment anxiety.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)95-111
Number of pages17
JournalJournal of Divorce and Remarriage
Volume54
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2013

Keywords

  • adult romantic attachment
  • childhood residential patterns
  • parental divorce

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Demography
  • Law

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