Examination of the relationship between attachment styles and social anxiety

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between attachment styles and social anxiety. Attachment theory explains the long-term effects of secure, avoidant, and anxious/ambivalent attachment styles, developed in early childhood, on social relationships and personal development. Social anxiety is defined as the intense feelings of anxiety that arise from the fear of negative evaluation in social situations. This thesis investigates the relationship between attachment styles and social anxiety. The study involved 369 women and 134 men, totaling 503 participants aged between 18 and 74. The descriptive research method, specifically the relational screening model, was used. The data collection tools included a Personal Information Information Form, the Three-Dimensional Attachment Styles Scale, and the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale. Personal Information Form asks about age, gender, family economic status, parents' marital status, number of siblings, the participant's sibling, the attitude of the parents, and the mother's employment status. The obtained data were analyzed using the SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) program. The analysis used independent samples t-test, ANOVA analysis, Tukey HSD test, correlation analysis and regression analysis. According to the results of the study, the following conclusions were drawn: individuals with low and medium economic income levels have higher anxious/ambivalent attachment levels than those with high economic income levels. Participants with medium economic income levels report higher social anxiety scores and anxiety subscale scores compared to those with high income levels. A significant difference was found between the anxiety subscale levels of first-born and fifth-born children, with first-born children having higher anxiety levels. In terms of parental attitudes, individuals with uninvolved maternal attitudes have lower secure attachment levels than those with involved maternal attitudes. Those with mixed involved/uninvolved maternal attitudes had higher anxious-ambivalent attachment levels compared to those with involved maternal attitudes. Similarly, individuals with uninvolved paternal attitudes have higher anxious/ambivalent attachment scores than those with involved paternal attitudes. Correlation analysis between attachment styles and social anxiety revealed a weak negative relationship between secure attachment and social anxiety, and a weak positive relationship between avoidant attachment and social anxiety. A moderate positive correlation was found between anxious/ambivalent attachment and social anxiety. Additionally, positive correlations were observed between the anxiety and avoidance subscales and anxious/ambivalent attachment. It has been determined that secure attachment has a reducing effect on social anxiety, while anxious ambivalent attachment has an increasing effect on social anxiety.