The Effect of Perception of Early Parental Attachment Experiences on Adult Romantic Attachment Style

Abstract

The capacity to form strong intimate relationship with others is considered as an essential developmental task and a principal feature of effective personality development. Consequently, there are different theories that attempted to explain how social relationship is formed. However, review of related literature on such relationship shows that attachment theory has become prominent theory to explain it. The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of early parental (care giver) attachment experience on adult romantic attachment using attachment theory as a framework. Cross-sectional descriptive survey design was used. A total of 306 (159 female and 147 male) participants were included from community based sample. Three Kebeles in Yeka sub-city of Addis Ababa were selected randomly. Data were collected on adult attachment and perception of early parental attachment experience. The constructs were measured by Experience in Close Relationship Scale-Revised and Inventory of Parent Peer Attachment. Pearson correlation and linear multiple regressions were run to investigate the association and prediction among variables under study respectively. The result confirmed that perception of early attachment experience did not predict adult romantic attachment but insignificantly related. Consequently, the relationship between perception of early parental attachment experience and adult romantic attachment style should be studied by fellow researchers to make the study more replicable in the future.