Attachment Patterns, Mourning Reactions, and Dysfunctional Romantic Relationship Beliefs among Young Adults with and without Early Parental Loss

Abstract

The attachment patterns, mourning reactions and dysfunctional romantic relationship beliefs of young adults were examined in relation to early parental loss experience. Participants included 423 students at a public university in İstanbul. An online survey package was used in data collection. Analyses indicated no attachment pattern difference by loss status. For the early parental loss group, the dismissing attachment pattern and dysfunctional romantic relationship beliefs; and for the no loss group, preoccupied attachment pattern and dysfunctional romantic relationship beliefs had positive relations. Participants with dismissing attachment patterns and high levels of mourning had more dysfunctional romantic relationship beliefs. Behavioral and physical types were the most; emotional and cognitive types were the least common mourning reactions.