Model Of Attachment For Friendships

The researchers of the article wanted to know if relationship satisfaction, disclosure, hope, and trust are important elements in a model of attachment for friendships. The study used 268 undergraduate students from different levels and departments of a private Christian university. The methodology used involved five different questionnaires. The first questionnaire measured avoidance and anxiety attachment styles, this was called the Relationship Structure Questionnaire. The Relationship Satisfaction Scale measured the relationship satisfaction in relationships, such as family and friendships. The third questionnaire was called the Herth Hope Index and it was used to explore temporality and future, interconnectedness, and positive readiness.

The next questions to fill out involved Miller’s Self-Disclosure Index which measured the different rates of disclosure. The final method of measurement was the Rotter Interpersonal Trust Scale which was used to measure the trust levels in close relationships and between institutions and society in general. According to the results fearful attachment styles give individuals less satisfaction in relationships, less disclosure, and less hope then any of the other styles do. While secure individuals were found reporting a greater satisfaction, amount of hope, and more disclosure then the preoccupied group. Other results showed that the dismissing and preoccupied groups had no differences amongst each other. The final results showed that friendships among adults differed largely when it came to self-disclosure, but not in terms of trust. Furthermore, friendship attachment styles were found to be effected mainly by hope. Since hope, disclosure, and satisfaction were found to be related to attachment styles, researchers believe we can use this information as an intervention to make insecure friendships more secure. However, the discussions listed some limitations that need to be discussed. These limitations were the unclear attachment categories. The researchers believe that further studying of this should involve a more distinguished and clear category of attachment theory’s that are easier to predict. Researchers also said that a limitation could have been the length of the friendship. Therefore, they believe differing lengths in friendship might have an effect on the attachment theories that results. Lastly, they believe that trust is still a significant element to friendship according to attachment theories. However, researchers say they need a better method to measure trusts and its significance.