When Love Just Ends: An Investigation of the Relationship Between Dysfunctional Behaviors, Attachment Styles, Gender, and Education Shortly After a Relationship Dissolution.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional survey examining associations between attachment styles and behaviors without longitudinal follow-up or a control group.
PubMed 34168592 · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.662237
What was done
A cross-sectional study evaluated 136 adults (84 females, 52 males; mean age 30.38 ± 4.19 years) who had been left by a partner within the preceding 6 months. The authors evaluated the relationship between adult attachment styles, demographics (gender, education, relationship status), motivations, and the adoption of post-dissolution dysfunctional behaviors (e.g., persistent phone calls/texts, verbal threats, sending unwanted objects).
What was found
The abstract reports directional associations without providing numerical values, test statistics, or effect sizes. Secure or dismissing attachment, higher education, and being married (awaiting separation) were identified as protective factors against dysfunctional behaviors. Preoccupied and fearful-avoidant attachment styles, especially in females, were associated with adopting dysfunctional behaviors (communication attempts and defamation), with fear of abandonment and need for attention reported as underlying motivations.
Why it matters
This study identifies specific insecure attachment orientations and emotional motivations associated with acute dysfunctional and intrusive behaviors following a relationship breakup.
Limits
The study is limited by a cross-sectional design that cannot determine causality, reliance on self-report measures subject to recall and social desirability biases, a modest sample size (n = 136) skewed toward females, and the complete absence of quantitative data or effect sizes in the abstract.