Relationship Between Self-Esteem and Attachment Style of College Students

Introduction

The purpose of this research is to find the connection between self-esteem and attachment

style among college students. Research has shown that human beings have genetic and evolution

need to be close to be able to select a few for thriving. The inherent desire to be able to choose a

few and make attachment figures is based on the ideology that the nature of human relations with

early caregivers can predetermine the nature of our adult attachment styles. Relational

attachment is comparatively a stable emotional relationship created between a child and a

caregiver or those with who babies frequently interacts. Guardians’ response to the signs of a

child’s attachment styles as well as their availability in needy situations, provide a haven for the

children, based on which, children can formulate expectations on the environment. The

relationship between a primary caregiver and a child are internalized and later used as a mental

stereotype by an adult in developing friendships and relationships. Passanisi et al. (2016)

researched a relationship between attachment styles and perception of self in the emerging

adulthood. The results indicated that secure attachment was the common attachment style and the

least common was ambivalent attachment style. Accordingly, attachment style has a positive

correlation with the quality of relationships as well as the mental perception of oneself.

Self-esteem is a measure of one’s overall evaluation of his or her self-worth. The college

age can be exciting and usually encompasses high expectations and dreams as students strive to

gain their own meaning for life. However, it is also a period characterized by uncertainty and

fear, because most college students’ lives may be unsettled, and their future lives unpredictable.

As they strive to gain stability, they are free to explore different opportunities in relationships,

career, as well as making long-term decisions. College students often make decisions they know
are subject to change as a natural effect on available possibilities (Passanisi et al., 2015). For

instance, they may decide to move in with their partner and find out they are incompatible in

lifestyle behaviors or end a relationship with a person they feel has been a negative influence

over them. All these explorations have a significant relationship with the student’s perception of

self-worth. Accordingly, research has shown that individuals with different upbringings have

varying belief on themselves, either positive or negative. While some are likely to invest their

time in exploration of the possibilities, others experience more inhibition due to their feelings of

negativity and instability.

In light of the previous studies, this research seeks to explore the relationship between

self-esteem and attachment style of college students. I expect specific attachment styles to be

associated with positive feelings of self-worth. Attachment style is responsible for identity

formation (Vahedi & Yari-Sis, 2016). The development of honest self-evaluation is associated

with self-autonomy sense in primary childhood. This study will explore factors of shame and

doubt sense and how they shape an individual’s feeling of independence. While the doubt sense

about the position to face issues lead to negative self-evaluations among the college students,

positive self-esteem helps to maintain integration amidst growth crisis. We will also explore the

level of flexibility in challenging issues and how attachment styles play a role in such situations.

Self-esteem and growth of someone’s identity are closely related to each other, and hence, this

study aims to assess the relationship between various dimensions of attachment styles and

components of self-esteem among college students.

Method

Subjects
 One hundred and fifty college students will be recruited from four universities in the

Greater Victoria Region. Each student will be randomly assigned to one of the three attachment

style conditions: Secure, anxious-ambivalent, and avoidance.

Design

Rosenberg self-esteem scale and the Security Scale will be used to determine the

relationship between attachment styles (secure, anxious-ambivalent, and avoidance) and self-

esteem of college students.

Procedure

The participants will be required to fill in questionnaires using the self-esteem scale as

well as Security Scale to indicate how their upbringing could have influenced their feelings of

self-worth. Participants from all universities will be subjected to various conditions that could

put their identity to the test, and then their response will determine their level of self-esteem. In

the secure attachment style, the participants will be requested to respond to questions on how

comfortable they are in making relationships and about the certainty that others will like them.

The anxious-ambivalent style will be measured by measuring how intimately one desires to

create a relationship but do so reservedly for fear of rejection. Lastly, the survey will inquire

about self-reliance and attitudes/expectations of other people. The dependent variable will be

measured using a Likert-type attachment scale which will range from (0: Secure to 10:

Uncertain).

Results

The expected data for the single subjects is a positive correlation between attachment

style to self-esteem, with a secure attachment style being associated with high self-confidence
and avoidance, with low security levels. Also, anxious-ambivalent people are expected to show

moderate to low self-esteem levels.

Table 1: Hypothetical Results

Group Attachment Style

Secure Anxious-ambivalent Avoidance

High Self-Esteem 35 40 45

Low Self-Esteem 32 28 23
 References

Passanisi, A., Gervasi, A. M., Madonia, C., Guzzo, G., & Greco, D. (2015). Attachment, Self-

Esteem and Shame in Emerging Adulthood. Procedia - Social and Behavioral

Sciences, 191, 342-346.

Vahedi, S., & Yari-Sis, M. (2016). Prediction of female college students’ self-esteem based on

their moral identity and attachment styles. Journal of Fundamentals of Mental

Health, 18(4), 227-33.

 Research project design specifications

Independent Variable 1: Attachment style

Level 1: Secure

Level 2: Anxious-ambivalent

Level 3: Avoidance

Independent Variable 2: Group

Level 1: High self-esteem

Level 2: Low self-esteem

Dependent Variable:

Minimum score: 0; Maximum score: 50