Attachment Styles and Relationship Satisfaction Among Gen Z
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20673704Keywords:
attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, attachment styles, Generation Z, romantic relationshipsAbstract
Romantic relationships are a significant developmental context during emerging adulthood, contributing to emotional well‑being, identity formation, and interpersonal functioning. Within Generation Z, these relationships are increasingly shaped by both traditional relational patterns and digital communication environments.. This study investigated the relationship between attachment styles—specifically attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance—and relationship satisfaction among Filipino Generation Z individuals currently engaged in romantic relationships. A quantitative descriptive‑correlational research design was employed, involving 100 purposively selected respondents. Data were collected using the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale–Short Form (ECR‑S) and the Relationship Assessment Scale (RAS), and analyzed through descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation.Findings revealed a relatively elevated level of attachment anxiety and a moderate level of attachment avoidance among respondents, alongside generally high relationship satisfaction. Correlation analysis indicated a strong negative relationship between attachment anxiety and relationship satisfaction and a moderate negative relationship between attachment avoidance and relationship satisfaction. These results suggest that higher levels of attachment insecurity correspond to lower levels of perceived relationship satisfaction. Despite this, participants maintained overall positive evaluations of their relationships, indicating that emotional support and communication may buffer the effects of insecurity. The study concludes that attachment styles significantly influence romantic relationship experiences among Generation Z individuals.
References
American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. https://www.apa.org/ethics/code
Aguirre, Q. M. C., Ungab, L. D., Cometa, C. B., & Culajara, C. L. B. (2024). Assessment of correlation between attachment style and romantic conflict management skills among university students. Asian Research Journal of Arts and Social Sciences, 22(5), 39–52. https://doi.org/10.9734/arjass/2024/v22i5536
Ashaq, I., & Singh, M. (2024). Attachment styles and relationship satisfaction. Educational Administration: Theory and Practice, 30(4), 8721–8729. https://doi.org/10.53555/kuey.v30i4.2805
Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment and loss: Vol. 1. Attachment. Basic Books.
Campbell, L., & Stanton, S. C. E. (2021). Adult attachment and relationship functioning. Current Opinion in Psychology, 43, 131–136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.07.002
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Drouin, M., McDaniel, B. T., Pater, J., & Toscos, T. (2021). How parents and partners use phones during interactions: Implications for relationship satisfaction. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075211017642
Fabella, F. E. T., & Litao, D. M. N. (2023). The relationship between attachment styles and emotional intelligence among selected college students amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Social and Humanities Research, 8(1), 80–89. https://doi.org/10.52403/ijshr.20230108
Fletcher, G. J. O., Simpson, J. A., & Thomas, G. (2015). The measurement of relationship satisfaction. Current Opinion in Psychology, 1, 79–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2015.03.008
Fraley, R. C., & Roisman, G. I. (2019). The development of adult attachment styles. Current Opinion in Psychology, 25, 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.02.002
Gabriel, A. M. A., Atento, R. G. O., Esber, M. P., Ibañez, J. I. M., De Asis, Q. F. I. C., & Azul, J. A. A. (2023). Childhood attachment and adult romantic relationship satisfaction. International Journal of Behavioral and Social Analytics. https://doi.org/10.65166/bw7f8v57
Hazan, C., & Shaver, P. R. (1987). Romantic love conceptualized as an attachment process. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52(3), 511–524. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.52.3.511
Hendrick, S. S. (1988). A generic measure of relationship satisfaction. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 50(1), 93–98. https://doi.org/10.2307/352430
Joel, S., Eastwick, P. W., & Finkel, E. J. (2020). Is romantic desire predictable? Annual Review of Psychology, 71, 563–584. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010419-050742
Kanaganayagam, S. (2024). Attachment (avoidance and anxiety) in relation to marital satisfaction in couples born between 1980 and 2000 (Doctoral dissertation). Liberty University. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5459
Kaur, J. (2024). Romantic relationship satisfaction, attachment style and love style among college-going students. Educational Administration: Theory and Practice, 30(5), 7874–7883. https://doi.org/10.53555/kuey.v30i5.4252
Khilji, B. K., & Ambreen, S. (2025). Attachment dimensions as moderators of the relationship between partner phubbing and marital satisfaction in Generation Z. Clinical and Counselling Psychology Review, 7(2), 92–111. https://doi.org/10.32350/ccpr.72.05
Leedy, P. D., & Ormrod, J. E. (2015). Practical research: Planning and design (11th ed.). Pearson Education.
Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2016). Attachment in adulthood: Structure, dynamics, and change (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
Quan, L., Zhang, K., & Chen, H. (2025). The relationship between childhood trauma and romantic relationship satisfaction: The role of attachment and social support. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 15, Article 1519699. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1519699
Reddy, C. B., & Naila, P. (2024). Attachment style and relationship satisfaction among early adults. World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 19(1), 282–289. https://doi.org/10.30574/wjbphs.2024.19.1.0440
Ricafrente, G. R., Sumicad, R., Lirazan, M. E., Jr., & Gerzon, K. J. (2024). Correlations of personality traits and romantic relationship satisfaction. Journal of Psychology and Behavior Studies, 4(1), 38–50. https://doi.org/10.32996/jpbs.2024.1.5
Roberts, J. A., & David, M. E. (2022). My life has become a major distraction: Partner phubbing and relationship satisfaction. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 6, 100169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2022.100169
Singh, P., & Srivastava, N. (2024). The relationship of attachment style with marital satisfaction and positive-negative affect among homemakers and working women. International Journal of Indian Psychology, 12(2), 1203–1211. https://doi.org/10.25215/1202.106
Thibaut, J. W., & Kelley, H. H. (1959). The social psychology of groups. Wiley.
Wei, M., Russell, D. W., Mallinckrodt, B., & Vogel, D. L. (2007). The Experiences in Close Relationships Scale (ECR)-Short Form: Reliability, validity, and factor structure. Journal of Personality Assessment, 88(2), 187–204. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223890701268041
Yadav, P. (2025). The impact of attachment styles on expectations and realities in romantic relationships among young adults. International Journal of Indian Psychology, 13(2), 699–708. https://doi.org/10.25215/1302.075
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 International Journal of Research on Multidisciplinary Studies
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
