Examining the relationship between childhood traumatic experiences, interpersonal cognitive distortions and attachment styles in individuals with romantic relations

This study was carried out to investigate the relationship of childhood traumas and interpersonal cognitive distortions to attachment styles in individuals engaged in romantic relations. Additionally, the research aimed to investigate the attachment styles of individuals in romantic relationships in terms of sociodemographic variables (gender, duration of the romantic relationship, type of romantic relationship, daily social media usage, and perceived parental attitudes). Conducted in accordance with the survey model, the study sample comprised 502 individuals aged 20-45, residing in Rize province, Turkey, and currently in romantic relationships, during the 2023-2024 period. Data for the study were collected using the "Sociodemographic Information Form," the "Childhood Trauma Questionnaire", the "Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory II," and the "Cognitive Distortions in Relationships Scale". To analyze the data, Pearson correlation, multiple linear regression, independent samples t-test, and one-way analysis of variance were employed. Interpersonal cognitive distortions and childhood traumatic experiences were found as positively related to both anxious and avoidant attachment styles. Furthermore, interpersonal cognitive distortions and childhood traumatic experiences were found to be significant predictors of anxious and avoidant attachment styles. While no significant differences were observed in anxious and avoidant attachment styles in terms of gender or daily social media usage, significant differences were identified concerning the type and the duration of romantic relationship. Moreover, anxious attachment style significantly differed based on perceived parental attitudes, whereas no significant differences were observed for avoidant attachment style in this regard.