The role of emotion regulation in the relationship between insecure attachment and loneliness

The aim of the current study is to investigate the mediating role of emotion regulation in the relationship between incesure attachment and loneliness in a sample of university students. The sample of research consisted of 522 (347 females, 175 males) university students that studying at Anadolu University. Research data were collected by using Personal Information Form, UCLA Lonelines Scale, Experience in Close Relationships Inventory-II and Difficulty of Emotion Regulation Scale. Correlation analysis, descriptive statistics, multiple mediation analysis, bootstrap method, t-test and analysis of variance were used in order to analyze the data. As a result of research analyses, the average level of loneliness of university students was found as 13.1. While there was no significant difference loneliness and emotion regulation difficultiy scores regarding gender and age, there was a significant difference in levels of loneliness in terms of relationship status. When the attachment dimensions were examined in terms of gender, females had higher levels of avoidant and anxious attachment scores than males. Moreover, strategies, rejection and awareness dimensions of the difficulty of emotion regulation were found to be partially mediating the relationship between avoidant attachment and loneliness. When the direct effect of avoidant and anxious attachment on emotion regulation difficulties was examined, it was found that they had a direct positive effect on all dimensions of emotional difficulty. Furthermore, avoidant and anxious attachment dimensions were found to have a positive effect on loneliness. Results and implications were discussed under the light ot the relevant literature, and suggestions were made in accordance with research findings for further studies, and practitioners.