Similarities and differences regarding changes in attachment preferences and attachment styles in relation to romantic relationship length: longitudinal and concurrent analyses.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Prospective longitudinal cohort study supplemented by a cross-sectional replication cohort
PubMed 28959920 · doi:10.1080/14616734.2017.1383488
What was done
The study examined changes in attachment preferences and attachment styles across four target figures (mother, father, romantic partner, and friends) as romantic relationships develop. Study 1 followed a three-wave longitudinal sample of 870 Czech young adults in romantic relationships (mean age 21.57, SD 1.51; 81% female) using multilevel modeling. Study 2 evaluated an international cross-sectional sample of 2,593 participants (mean age 31.99, SD 12.13; 79% female) using multiple regression analyses to replicate the attachment avoidance findings.
What was found
In the longitudinal cohort, as romantic relationships progressed over time, attachment preferences for romantic partners increased while preferences for friends decreased; preferences for mother or father did not change. Similarly, attachment avoidance toward romantic partners decreased and avoidance toward best friends increased, whereas avoidance toward mother or father showed no change over time. The cross-sectional analysis replicated the attachment avoidance findings. No specific numerical effect sizes, test statistics, or p-values were reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
This study demonstrates that the transfer of attachment functions to a romantic partner primarily draws from peer networks rather than displacing established parental bonds.
Limits
The abstract provides no numerical effect sizes or confidence intervals. Both samples were heavily female-skewed (approximately 80% female). Study 1 was restricted to young adults in the Czech Republic, and Study 2 relied on cross-sectional data.