ABSTRACT
This study investigated the role of the capacity to be alone in the relationship between insecure adult attachment and relational addiction. A structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesis that insecure adult attachment influe...
ABSTRACT
This study investigated the role of the capacity to be alone in the relationship between insecure adult attachment and relational addiction. A structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesis that insecure adult attachment influences the capacity to be alone which, in turn, influences relational addiction. Results from self-report questionnaires based on a sample of 614(N=614) adults in their 20's to 30's were analyzed using the SPSS 19.0 and the AMOS 20.0.
The proposed model with insecure adult attachment negatively influencing the level of the capacity to be alone, which in turn, significantly decreased relational addiction, had good fit indices. Significant findings indicated that the effect of attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance on relational addiction were partially mediated by the capacity to be alone. Finally, the pathway of influence from attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance was separate with the attachment anxiety having greater influence on relational addiction than attachment avoidance. Attachment avoidance, on the other hand, had a negative effect on relational addiction, while attachment anxiety had a positive effect.
Relevance of the current findings in terms of setting treatment goals, establishing an effective therapeutic relationship and planning appropriate intervention strategies for counseling clients with history of relational addiction were discussed. Limitations of current study and suggestions for future study were also included.
Key words : the capacity to be alone,
insecure adult attachment, attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, relational addiction