1

INTRODUCTION

There are abundance of correlational studies between attachment style and several variables.

This study intends to highlight the existing literature related to study the Influence of the

perceived parental attachment style on love relationships and life satisfaction of their young-

adult. Therefore it is first important to understand the concept of attachment style.

● Attachment style: offers a theoretically and empirically validated framework for

understanding one’s ability to connect with significant others and establish supportive

relationships coping resources (Lopez and Brennan 2000; Mallinckrodt 2000).

According to Ainsworth and Bowlby (1991), understanding attachment relationships

across the life span contributes to understanding individual differences in adaptation

Literature has been found to be increasing which indicates that parent using attachment styles

with their young adults is a fundamental key of individual well-being and relationship

satisfaction through our life. Several studies have found that attachment security is related to

consistent and long-term benefits for psychological wellbeing, such as different aspects of

social competence, including higher levels of social adjustment (Rice et al. 1997), social

support seeking (Blain et al. 1993; Cutrona et al. 1994) and better social skills (Di- Tommaso

et al 2003). Further, parent using secure attachment style at home those individuals show

higher esteem and efficacy towards their love/romantic partners and have a higher life

satisfaction with them. (Ma and Huebner 2008; Nickerson these findings appear to suggest

that parental attachment is important for individuals’ well being and global life satisfaction

with love relationships.

Some previous research on Attachment style are as an influence or predictor on several

other factors. In this study we will give a close glance on the concept of love relationship and

life satisfaction.
 2

● Love relationships: biosocial process by which affectional bonds are formed between

adult lovers, just as affectional bonds are formed earlier in life between human infants

and their parents. the development of affectional bonds in infancy, were translated

into terms appropriate to adult romantic love. Relevant research study used to

formulate this research is Simpson, J. A. (1990).

Influence of attachment styles on love/romantic relationships. Journal of personality and

social psychology. Through the construction of self-report questionnaires, they found that the

three different styles of attachment, as proposed by Ainsworth et al, help explain people

project different personalities based on their experiences of romantic relationships. In

essence, participant’s perceptions of the quality of their relationship with both parents during

childhood were significantly associated with their attachment style in love relationships with

their partners during adulthood and leading to life satisfaction. Participants with securely

attached in their romantic relationships tended to have positive relationships with their

parents as well as the parents’ relationship as warmer, than did insecurely attached

participants. In particular, secure participants were much more likely to describe their

childhood relationships with parents as responsive, affectionate, caring and accepting than

insecurely attached participants, who tended to describe this early relationship as cold and

rejecting. Securely attached individuals have a tendency to report positive perceptions of

early family relationships. On the other hand insecure participants were found to be more

likely to perceive early parental support as inconsistent and will more likely to report being

separated from their mother during childhood and to be distrustful of others.

● Life satisfaction: Andrew (1974) states life satisfaction symbolising an overarching

criterion or ultimate outcome of human experience. It is an overall assessment of

feelings and attitudes about ones life at a particular point in time ranging from

negative to positive. Relevant research Studies used is guarnieri, Silvia & Smotri,
 3

Martina & Tani, Franca. (2014). Attachment Relationships and Life Satisfaction

During Emerging Adulthood. Social Indicators Research.

There is apparently an inverse relationship between loneliness and life satisfaction that

indicates Higher the level of loneliness of individual liver will be the satisfaction with life. In

this study, the love relationship with the partners were investigated to measure the type of

attachment style used by the parents in the early childhood with their children's and life

satisfaction. Life satisfaction is generally higher when secure attachment style is used by the

parents than insecure attachment styles.

Attachment styles appear to be closely related to satisfaction with life in adulthood. On the

other hand there is a positive relationship between life satisfaction and resilience which

means the level of life Satisfaction increasing among the people which also leads to

increasing level in adaptation to stress and resilience. Psychotherapeutic interventions are

also used and direct to modulate emotion, feelings and behaviour, improve trust and loyalty

between love/romantic relationships, and help coping with stress will enhance secure

attachment, overall satisfaction with life, and psychological resilience.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE:

● The Study of the Relationship between Attachment Styles and Obsessive Love

Style done by Bahareh Honari∗ a*, Ali Akbar Saremi. : the aim of this study was

to investigate the relationship between attachment styles and obsessive love style of

university students. We examined the relation between attachment styles and

obsessive love style, due to the significant role in adults’ romantic relationships that is

determined by attachment styles.

Personality development and growth of everyone in adulthood is influenced by Early

experiences they had which is primarily known as emotional connections with the parents.
 4

This connections or relationship is called as attachment that play an important role in

psychological characteristics of a person. Attachment behaviours generally include responses

and to stressful situations are shaped by cognition, affect, and interaction with their

caregiver. Thes cognitive-affective representations of the self and interactions with others are

seen as underlying mechanisms which ensures continuity and stability of attachment patterns

across the lifespan and also influence personality development, psychological functioning,

behaviour ,and affect regulation in later relational contexts (Mikulincer and Shaver,2012).

There are various types of Attachment styles they can be secure or insecure .Insecure

attachment styles include anxious, avoidant, fearful, unresolved, ambivalent, disorganized,

preoccupied and dismissing. Factor analysis has identified anything from one to four

attachment types (Armour et al., 2011) and the majority of research focuses on anxious and

avoidant styles. These child’s experiences cause him to maximize his environmental

opportunities and form his social support relationships. The increase of child’s sense of

security allows him to come out of his inner experience and comfortable zone and gain more

knowledge and understanding about him/herself and others and will also identify that his/her

behaviours are organized throughout status, thoughts, emotions, beliefs and desires. Children

with secure attachment style have rich secure experiences i.e. away from disturbance anxiety,

and in contrast to children with insecure attachment style (avoidant and ambivalent) imagine

the world is insecure and havr stressful environment and do not have the effective and

creative ability to deal with stressful situations and problems. Bowlby believed that

attachment in the parent- child relationship is alienated to an adult love/romantic relationship

and can effect on behaviour, cognition and emotions in life, from infancy to adulthood.

The Individual differences in adult attachment behaviour reflect the beliefs and

expectations that people have about themselves and their intimate relationships in a previous

attachment relationship. Thus, childhood attachments affect his adult romantic relationships.
 5

The primary patterns in later periods is determined by two methods, firs to make a stable

relationship between child and caregiver that is continue up to adulthood. Second the

development of mental models or attachment system that occurs unconsciously, can direct

and guide the person's behaviours, thoughts and emotions in next romantic situations

(Simpson and Rowlz; 1998). Hazan and Shaver used the theory of attachment styles to

explain the social relationships, romantic relationships and sexual relationships in adulthood

and youth periods. The securely attached adult will be able to meet their needs in contrast to

insecurly attached adults.The sense of security and belonging is the main features of

attachment. So that the person does not feel lonely and sad.

Studies of Attachment styles especially anxious attachment style (obsessive) indicate that

the maladaptive interaction patterns between the child and caregiver. This can cause a sense

of control in children to practice same attachment system in order to maintain the

relationship. Secure attachment style can help to maintain emotional balance in the time of

distress and be a model of confidence, support, adequacy and popularity. In contrast, in

insecure attachment style the figure of attachment appears as a form of irresponsible or

instable to satisfy the needs during stressful times. Two important patterns of insecure

attachment avoidant and ambivalent(anxious) attachment by creating the deactive attachment

systems (neutral) and hyperactive attachment systems, respectively, are characterized as

secondary strategies to attachment (Mikolincer and Shaver,2012).in such cases, a sensitive

and hypervigilance position is activated toward the relationship with caregiver and there

might be appears some signs of obsessive and possessive behaviour.

Also person keep constantly wondering that he or she is responsible to maintain the

relationship, feels guilty and fear of losing the person of his/her choice, starting blaming and

critisizing ownself as a caretaking strategy and this can lead to problems in love/romantic
 6

relationships in adulthood and causing unexpected breaking,unsatisfied, abusive

relationships.

According to attachment theory love is made up of positive and negative feelings like fear

of intimacy, jealousy, emotional pain and pleasure periods, caring, devotion and trust.

Individuals with different attachment styles follow different beliefs about romantic love

period, availability, trust capability of love partners and love readiness. These beliefs might

be part of a circle (false circle on insecure individuals) in which experiment affect the beliefs

and these belief may have effects on behaviour and connection consequences.

● Attachment Relationships and Life Satisfaction During Emerging Adulthood

Silvia Guarnieri • Martina Smorti • Franca Tani: The present study examined peer

attachment (friend attachment and romantic attachment) as a potential mediator in the

relationship between parental attachment (attachment to mother and father) and life

satisfaction in emerging adulthood.

Even though there were direct association between the variables selected the

researchers investigated indirect pathways peer attachment (friend attachment and

romantic attachment) in emerging adulthood.

The emergence of adulthood has been identified as new developmental phase in which

individuals settle into well-established adult roles (Arnett 2000). During this developmental

phase emerging adults cope with various developmental tasks in relation to identity

exploration, sense of coherence, practical and economical issues linked to the transition to

job, and future life’s choices

(Ciairano et al. 2010; Crocetti et al. 2012; Piumatti et al. 2013). Further, the transition from

the development phase into adulthood brings about various types of experiences in a network

of relationships. Emerging adulthood envision on coresidence in a parental household,

 7

parental financial subsidies, and other material support, and figuratively through the

availability of parents to serve as a source of guidance in making one’s way in the world

(Aquilino 2006). At the same time, extra familial relationships become more prominent in

emerging adults’ affective world, and they develop their ability to create and maintain mature

intimacy with friends and romantic partners (Allen and Land 1999). At the same time, a

romantic partner quickly becomes dominant in the relationship hierarchy (Collins and van

Dulmen 2006) and emerging adults turn their full attention to their romantic relationships.

(Collins and Laursen 2000, 2004). However, these changes in emerging adults’ social world

represented as a transformation and does not mean displacement of family and peer

relationships which continue to have a effective influence on them. The quality of

relationship and attachment bonds with their partners play a significant role transition to

adulthood (Arnett 2000; O’Connor et al. 1996). Use of Secure attachments style which is

characterised by autonomy, trust and support, facilitate successful transitions to adulthood.

Thus, maintaining a balance between autonomy and relatedness with romantic partners

appears to be fundamental indicator of subjective well-being, such as life satisfaction (Ma

and Huebner 2008;Nickerson and Nagle 2005; Wei et al. 2011). Particularly, life satisfaction

is an individuals generally measures how satisfied are people with their life as a whole

(Diener 1994).

Life satisfaction and well-being as a whole can be measured by the type of attachment

style used with parents and peers.

● The relationship between life satisfaction and attachment styles with

Psychological well-being of children on covered by Behzistey In Tehran

Masohme Azimi Qadeyklaey and Farideh Dokaneheei Fard Department of

Counseling Psychology, Science and Research Khorasan (Neishabour) Branch,

 8

Islamic Azad University, Khorasan (Neishabour), Iran*Author for

Correspondence: Methods this study investigated the relationship between

attachment styles and psychological well-being, life satisfaction and well-being of

children covered in Tehran.

Family is a basic and vital social institution which guaranties both the individual health and

survival of society. Every child spends the early childhood for survival needs with family.

The initial experiences which a person has learned in family never leave the human and there

experiences are important for the creation of beliefs and ideas, development and stability of

the values. Hartman and Bettelheim (1999) Not only the personality of the child is affected

by the relationship between with the mother but also his future life and marital relations can

also be created and judged by it.

Initially optimism and welfare are among the issues which are important in children's lives

and are recently given more importance.

The optimism refers to the tendency towards adopting the hopeful view as well as the

emotional and cognitive readiness under which the good things are more important than the

bad things in life. The sense of well-being includes the sense of cohesion in life as well as the

emotional balance and overall satisfaction with life. The cultural and social issues in the field

of life satisfaction and attachment styles

with psychological well-being of under-protection children some of whom are abused and

neglected due to some reasons are among the most important components in the field of

under-protection children by welfare

organization. Undoubtedly, the welfare organization is the main governmental body for

organizing the vulnerable class of society.

The welfare organization has several duties and responsibilities for the under-protection

children. On the one hand, this organization has the responsibility of providing welfare for a
 9

large number of vulnerable children, and on the other hand, it is responsible for organizing

the status of numerous deprived women and children (Azizi, 2010). The life satisfaction is

among the major issues which are initially taken into account by the social sciences thinkers

by comprehensive development of technology and the industrialization of Western countries,

and thus the life satisfaction is studied in various aspects. The life satisfaction is a cognitive

issue, while the negative and positive feeling is considered as the emotional feeling.

The literature is reviewed at the beginning of the study to gain some knowledge about the

recent research underlying attachment style which were not limited to only childhood. Now

let's focus on the origin of the attachment theory.

Attachment theory and its origin:

Since its origins, according to Bowlby, primary focus of Attachment research was to study

the attachment bond between parent and children in early childhood. Later the researchers

focus to study the attachment bond has been shifted to include other significant relationships,

such as those with peers. Recent studies in this area have revealed an increasing interest in

investigating the attachment bond beyond early childhood through to adult, and particularly

in investigating in greater depth the study of adults' representations of their actual attachment

relationships (see Allen & Land, 1999). Furthermore, based on attachment theory, that early

parent child relationships serve as prototypes (Waters & Treboux, 1995), laying the

foundation for later love relationships and life satisfaction.

Childhood internal working model of their self and other caregiver/parents basically

developed based on the experiences with the parents or caregivers. Specifically, which are

relatively stable mental representations and that operates unconsciously (Bowlby,1969/1982;

Bretherton & Munholland, 1999). According to Bowlby (1973) such experience-based

models, which are sets of rules and expectations for organizing information relevant to
 10

attachment, play a fundamental role in affecting the creation and nature of subsequent social

relationships. They shape and influence representations of future relationships (Bowlby,

1973).

Theoretical background:

Attachment theory is the joint work of John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth (Ainsworth &

Bowlby, 1991). Drawing on concepts from ethology, cybernetics, information processing,

developmental psychology, and psychoanalysis, John Bowlby formulated the basic tenets of

the theory. His theory revolutionized our thinking about a child's

bond to the mother and relationship disruption through separation, deprivation, bereavement

and neglect. Ainsworth contributed the concept of the attachment figure as a secure base from

which an infant can explore the world. In addition, she formulated the concept of "maternal

sensitivity" through which infants signals and play jts role in the development of infant-

mother attachment patterns. The ideas now guiding attachment theory have a long

developmental history. Although independent work of Bowlby and Ainsworth during their

early careers, both were influenced by Freud.

In 1948, Ainsworth's arrives two years after, Bowlby had hired James Robertson who has

achieved impeccable training in naturalistic observations obtained as a conscientious objector

during World War II to help him observe hospitalized and institutionalized children who

were separated from their parents. James Robert son has already acquired thorough training

in child observation at the Hampstead residential nursery are Anna Freud's lasting personal

contribution to the development of attachment theory. Anna Freud also worked with such

children over there she required that all staff members irrespective of what their training or

background is to write notes on cards about the children's behavior (Senn, 1977a), which

were then used as a basis for weekly group discussions.

 11

After 2 years of collecting data on hospitalized children for Bowlby's research projects,

Robertson protested that he could not continue as an uninvolved research worker, but felt

compelled to do something for the children he had been observing. On a shoestring budget,

with minimal training, a hand-held cine camera, and no artificial lighting, he made the deeply

moving film, A Two-Year-Old Goes to Hospital (Robertson, 1953a, 1953b; Robertson &

Bowlby, 1952). Foreseeing the potential impact of this film, Bowlby Insisted That It

Carefully Planned to ensure that no one would later be able to accuse Robertson of biased

recording. The target child was randomly selected, time sampling took place at regular

periods of the day.

At this time, Ronald Hargreaves of the World Health Organization (WHO) to commission

Bowlby to write a report on the mental health of homeless children in postwar Europe. Based

on his earlier writings about the familial experiences of affectionless children had led. WHO

report gave Bowlby an opportunity to look at the research studies of many practitioners and

researchers across Europe and the United States who were concerned with the effects of

maternal separation and deprivation on young children, including Spitz (1946) and Goldfarb

(1943, 1945). The report was written in 6 months and translated into 14 languages, with sales

of 400,000 copies in the English paperback edition; it was published in 1951 as Maternal

Care and Mental Health by the WHO. A second edition, entitled Child Care and the Growth

of Love, with review chapters by Mary Ainsworth, was published by Penguin Books in 1965.

Bowlby's first formal statement of attachment theory, was build on concepts from

ethology and developmental psychology, was presented to the British Psychoanalytic Society

in London in three now classic papers: "The Nature of the Child's Tie to His Mother" (1958),

"Separation Anxiety" (1959), and "Grief and Mourning in Infancy and Early Childhood"

(1960). By 1962 Bowlby had completed two further papers (never published; 1962a and b)
 12

on defensive processes related to mourning. These five papers represent the first basic

blueprint of attachment theory.

Currently, attachment theory and research are moving forward, inspired by the second and

third volumes of Bowlby's attachment trilogy, by methodological advances, and infusing into

attachment theory of complementary theoretical perspectives. Such as attachment and

representation, attachment across and life span, attachment and developmental

psychopathology, cross-cultural studies were done that emphasis. Moving from family and

other social networks to the larger societal matrix, studies of Strange Situation classifications

in other cultures have sparked a lively debate on their universal versus culture-specific

meaning. In a North-German study, avoidant attachment style were overemphasised

(Grossmann, Grossmann, Spangler, Suess, & Unzner, 1985), whereas ambivalent attachment

style were more frequently than expected seen in Israeli kibbutzim (Sagi et al., 1985) and in

Japan (Miyake, Chen, & Campos, 1985, Cultural differences leads to regulation and

projection of attachment behaviors which raises important questions about the value that

diverse societies place on attachment relations. There are powerful groups in society who

promotes their own control over life by subordinating and marginalizing others, they make it

less possible for these groups to practice and experience security in their own families.

Valuing of attachment relations as a part of public policy and moral implications of the

society, This brings me back to one of Bowlby's early statements: "If a community values its

children it must cherish their parents"

These theoretical developments must work simultaneously or be followed by new

methodological developments. Bowlby's theoretical contributions to developmental and

clinical psychology had their current influence only by Mary Ainsworth's work on patterns

of attachment in the Strange Situation and Mary Main's Adult Attachment Interview. It is

possible in the future, attachment theory may provide the appropriate results of a more
 13

general theory of personality organization and relationship development. Such a theory would

not only build on, but also go beyond, Bowlby's reworking on Freud's ideas on motivation,

emotion, and development.