Examination of the relationship between attachment styles, interpersonal emotion regulation strategies and psychological well being among young adults

Attachment styles, interpersonal emotion regulation strategies, and psychological well-being are important research topics. Attachment is the bond that forms between a child and their primary caregiver and affects the relationships that individuals establish throughout their lives, their thoughts and feelings about themselves and others. Attachment also has an effect on interpersonal emotion regulation and psychological well-being, which are the other two variables in the study. The aim of this study is to examine the attachment styles, interpersonal emotion regulation strategies and psychological well-being of young adults. Then, the mediating effect of interpersonal emotion regulation strategies on the relationship between attachment styles and psychological well-being was examined. In addition, the relationship of the variables with some socio-demographic data was also compared. Data were collected from a total of 242 participants aged 18-35, 155 females, 87 males in the research. Informed Consent Form, Demographic Information Form, Relationship Scales Questionnaire, Interpersonal Emotion Regulation Strategies Scale and Flourishing Scale were given to the participants. According to the findings it was determined that interpersonal emotion regulation differed significantly according to attachment styles. It was found that the scores of the individuals with preoccupied attachment were higher than the individuals with secure, dismissive and fearful attachment (r = 0.381)(p<0.01). Psychological well-being was found to have a significant relationship with attachment styles. Psychological well-being of securely attached individuals were found to be higher than fearful and preoccupied individuals (r=0.276) (p<0.01). When the mediating effect of interpersonal emotion regulation strategies on the relationship between attachment styles and psychological well-being was examined a full mediator effect was found in the relationship between dismissing attachment and psychological well-being and a partial mediating effect was found on the relationship between preoccupied attachment and psychological well-being. When attachment styles, interpersonal emotion regulation strategies and psychological well-being were compared according to gender preoccupied attachment scores of women were found to be higher (p<0.05). Interpersonal emotion regulation strategies scores of women were found to be significantly higher (p<0.01). Secure (p<0.05) and fearful attachment styles (p<0.05) were found to differ according to age. Interpersonal emotion regulation strategies (p<0.01) and psychological well-being (p<0.01) were found to differ according to age. It was found that the psychological well-being levels of the participants who did not have a history of psychological disorder were higher (p<0.05). The findings are thought to contribute to future researches.