The study of the relationship between high school students' attachment styles and flirting behaviours (Mardin sample)

In this study, it is aimed to analyse the relationships between attachment styles and flirting behaviours of students attending high school in Mardin, and whether these two variables change according to students' genders or not. The study was carried out in 2010-2011 school year's spring term with 552 students attending 5 different schools in Mardin. Relationship Questionnaire (Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991) was used to evaluate attachment styles, one of the dependent variables of the study. The data related to flirting behaviours, the other dependent variable of the study, were collected through a questionnaire prepared by the researcher. With the purpose of getting a clearer evaluation, questions in the aforesaid questionnaire are divided into 3 categories as; behaviours at school, behaviours acted for getting in contact and behaviours out of school. In the process of data analysis; percentage, frequency, arithmetic mean, standard deviation and chi-squared tests were used. Findings have revealed that there is a significant relationship between students' attachment styles and genders. It is found out that male students have secure attachment style more while female students more likely have fearful attachment style. On one hand, male students have got higher percentage rates in the questions concerning flirting behaviours which require more courage and activeness; but on the other hand, female students have got higher percentage rates in the questions which require passiveness and waiting for the first step. Keywords: Attachment Styles, Flirting Behaviours, Adolescents