Examination of young adults' attachment to mothers and romantic relationship experiences: Qualitative research

Close relationships play a crucial role in individuals' psychosocial development, and it has been both theoretically and empirically demonstrated that early caregiver relationships—particularly the bond established with the mother—can shape individuals' patterns of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors regarding romantic relationships. In this context, the aim of the study is to explore how young adults' attachment experiences to their mothers gain meaning in their emotions, thoughts and behaviors regarding their romantic relationships, through the narratives they construct. The study is framed within Bowlby's attachment theory, Hazan and Shaver's model of adult attachment, and Erikson's theory of psychosocial development. Conducted using a qualitative research design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The study group consisted of a total of 18 participants, including 4 in the pilot study and 14 in the main study. Participants were young adults aged between 23 and 34, single, university graduates, each with at least six months of romantic relationship experience, and whose primary caregiver during the ages of 0–3 was their mother. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis, which yielded 5 themes, 15 subthemes, and 41 codes. The theme of "Attachment to the Mother and Relationship Dynamics" revealed patterns of emotional closeness, support, distance, difficulty in expressing affection, and relational disconnection, reflecting the evolving nature of the mother–child bond. "The Mother Figure in Multiple Roles" highlighted how mothers were represented both as partners and as women, and how these representations shaped participants' perceptions of romantic relationships. "The Meaning Attributed to Romantic Relationships" encompassed participants' definitions of romantic partnerships, their needs within relationships, and the characteristics they sought in a partner. "Awareness of Attachment Experiences" emerged through reflections on past relationships, in which emotional violations such as lack of trust or commitment were identified as turning points that fostered self- awareness and selectivity. Finally, "Attachment Transmission and Relational Reflections" captured the ways in which attachment experiences with mothers were transferred into romantic relationships through secure, anxious, or compensatory strategies, while parental relationship models were also cited as influential in partner selection. In conclusion, the findings provide a qualitative framework for understanding how attachment patterns with mothers are meaningfully interpreted in the romantic relationship experiences of young adults. This study offers a culturally grounded contribution to the relatively limited body of qualitative attachment research in the Turkish context and provides a foundation for rethinking attachment theory through local narratives.