Attachment and self-change as predictors of romantic relationship stability in university students

The aim of this study is to investigate whether attachment and self-change predicted relationship stability in university students, as well as to examine whether relationship stability changes according to gender, age, and the duration of relationship. In data collection, the Relationship Stability Scale, the Turkish Self-Change in Romantic Relationships Scale, the Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory II and the Personal Information Form were used. In method, multiple linear regression analysis was performed to determine the predictive power of self-change and attachment on relationship stability. The independent samples T-test was carried out to see if the relationship stability differed according to gender and age. The one-way analysis of variance and Kruskal Wallis-H test were used to determine whether relationship stability differed according to the duration of relationship. The results showed that the participants' self-expansion, self-contraction, and levels of anxious-attachment and avoidant-attachment significantly predict the level of relationship satisfaction. Moreover, self-expansion, self-contamination, self-contamination, and anxious-attachment were found to predict significantly the level of evaluating the quality of options. It was also revealed that self-expansion, self-contraction, self-contamination, anxious-attachment, and avoidant-attachment significantly predict the level of relationship investment; whilst self-expansion, self-contraction, self-contamination, and avoidant-attachment significantly predict commitment. In addition, there was a significant difference in relationship satisfaction and relationship investment with regard to gender, as well as a significant difference in the level of relationship satisfaction, relationship investment, and commitment with regard to the duration of romantic relationship. Accordingly, the findings have been discussed in line with the literature, and some suggestions were offered.