The predictors of adult separation anxiety in emerging adults: Relational variables and attachment styles

Anxiety is defined as the intense stress and fear experienced by an individual in situations perceived as threatening. Adult separation anxiety is characterized by an individual's persistent concern about losing attachment figures in a manner not appropriate to their developmental stage, leading to significant distress. Upon examining the etiology of adult separation anxiety, it has been observed that attachment styles may be related to anxiety. This study investigates the predictive power of attachment styles and relational variables on the adult separation anxiety of emerging adults. This relational research was conducted during the 2022-2023 academic year with students enrolled in associate and undergraduate programs at Bartın University. Participants were selected using convenience sampling, snowball sampling, and purposive sampling methods, and their ages ranged from 18 to 29 years. The total number of participants was 402. Data collection tools included a personal information form, the Adult Separation Anxiety Questionnaire, the Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory-II, and the Relationship Assessment Scale. Descriptive statistics and hierarchical regression analysis were used to analyze the research question. The findings indicated that relationship satisfaction, the anxiety subscale of the ECR-II, and the avoidance subscale of the ECR-II were significant predictors of adult separation anxiety in emerging adults, explaining 17% of the total variance. The results obtained from the study were interpreted and discussed within the context of the relevant literature. Finally, recommendations for practice and future research were provided