Project – Relationship Between Attachment Styles and Romantic Relationship Satisfaction among Young Adults: A Study of Undergraduate Students of the University of Calabar

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Romantic relationships constitute an important aspect of social and emotional development during young adulthood. The period of young adulthood, particularly the university years, is characterized by increasing independence, identity development, emotional exploration and the formation of intimate relationships. For many undergraduate students, romantic relationships provide companionship, emotional support, intimacy, social belonging and opportunities to develop interpersonal skills that may influence later family and marital relationships. The quality of these relationships, however, differs considerably among individuals. While some young adults experience trust, emotional closeness, commitment and mutual satisfaction, others experience insecurity, conflict, jealousy, emotional withdrawal and dissatisfaction. Hazan and Shaver (1987) extended attachment theory to adult romantic relationships by proposing that the emotional bonds experienced between romantic partners resemble, in important respects, the attachment bonds established between children and their caregivers. Consequently, individual differences in attachment may provide an important explanation for variations in how young adults experience and evaluate their romantic relationships.

Attachment theory, originally developed from the work of Bowlby (1969/1982), proposes that early interactions between children and their caregivers contribute to the development of internal working models concerning the self, others and relationships. These internal models can influence expectations and behaviours in later interpersonal relationships. Ainsworth et al. (1978) identified patterns of secure, anxious-resistant and avoidant attachment in children, while subsequent scholars applied attachment principles to adult intimate relationships. Bartholomew and Horowitz (1991) later proposed a four-category model of adult attachment comprising secure, preoccupied, dismissing and fearful attachment. In romantic relationships, securely attached individuals generally tend to view themselves and others positively, feel comfortable with intimacy and depend on their partners appropriately, whereas individuals characterized by anxious or avoidant orientations may experience greater difficulties with trust, intimacy, dependence and emotional regulation (Collins & Read, 1990). These differences make attachment styles particularly relevant to understanding the quality and satisfaction of romantic relationships among young adults.

Romantic relationship satisfaction refers broadly to an individual’s overall subjective evaluation of the quality, happiness, fulfilment and functioning of his or her romantic relationship. It encompasses perceptions of compatibility, affection, communication, intimacy, commitment, emotional support and the extent to which relationship expectations are being met. Relationship satisfaction is important because it is associated with the stability and quality of intimate partnerships. Spanier (1976) conceptualized dyadic adjustment as a multidimensional construct involving consensus, satisfaction, cohesion and affectionate expression, demonstrating that relationship quality extends beyond the mere absence of conflict. Among university students, relationship satisfaction may also be influenced by academic pressures, financial limitations, family expectations, peer relationships and the developmental transition from adolescence to adulthood. Research among university students has shown that romantic relationship satisfaction is associated with personal and interpersonal factors, including attachment-related characteristics (Lee & Chang, 2021).

Attachment style can influence romantic relationship satisfaction through the way individuals perceive, interpret and respond to interpersonal experiences. Securely attached individuals are generally more comfortable with emotional closeness, trust and dependence, which can facilitate constructive communication and mutual support. In contrast, anxiously attached individuals may have heightened concerns about rejection, abandonment or insufficient affection, leading them to seek excessive reassurance or become highly sensitive to perceived changes in their partner’s behaviour. Avoidantly attached individuals may be uncomfortable with intimacy, excessive dependence or emotional disclosure and may consequently distance themselves when relationships become emotionally demanding. In a study of young adults, Feeney and Noller (1990) found that attachment style was associated with beliefs and experiences in romantic relationships. Similarly, a study of undergraduate dating couples by Tucker and Anders (1999) found that anxious attachment was associated with lower relationship satisfaction, while avoidant attachment was also related to lower satisfaction among some participants. These findings suggest that attachment orientations may shape the emotional and behavioural processes through which romantic relationships become satisfying or unsatisfying.

Empirical evidence has increasingly established the importance of attachment insecurity for romantic relationship quality. Li and Chan (2012), in a meta-analytic review involving 73 studies, 118 independent samples and more than 21,000 individuals, found that both attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance were detrimental to cognitive, emotional and behavioural indicators of romantic relationship quality. The authors further reported that avoidance was particularly negatively associated with general satisfaction, connectedness and support, whereas anxiety was more strongly associated with conflict. More recently, a larger meta-analysis by Hadden et al. (2019) examined 132 studies involving 148 independent samples and 71,011 participants and concluded that both attachment anxiety and avoidance were negatively associated with relationship satisfaction. The findings further showed that the effects could vary according to factors such as age, culture, relationship status and relationship length. Such evidence demonstrates that attachment style is not merely a theoretical concept but an empirically relevant factor in understanding relationship satisfaction.

The relationship between attachment and romantic satisfaction is also particularly important among university students because the university environment provides a distinctive social context for the development and maintenance of intimate relationships. Undergraduate students are exposed to new social networks, greater personal freedom, changing expectations about intimacy and increasing decisions concerning future careers and family life. These circumstances can create opportunities for healthy relationships but can also expose students to jealousy, emotional dependency, communication problems, uncertainty and relationship conflicts. A recent study of 536 university students found that both attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance were significantly and negatively associated with intimate relationship satisfaction, while processes such as appreciation and a sense of giving helped explain the association. This evidence reinforces the importance of examining attachment patterns among university students rather than assuming that all young adults experience romantic relationships in the same way.

Within the Nigerian context, the study of romantic relationships among young adults is equally significant because university students operate within social and cultural environments that may influence expectations concerning intimacy, gender roles, commitment, communication and future marriage. Nigerian studies have begun to examine factors associated with romantic relationship quality among young people. For example, Alade (2015) investigated determinants of quality romantic relationships among emerging adults in tertiary institutions in Oyo State and examined the predictive influence of personality traits, attachment styles, age and gender. Similarly, a study of undergraduates at Obafemi Awolowo University examined attachment styles and conflict-resolution strategies among students involved in close relationships, indicating the relevance of attachment processes to interpersonal functioning among Nigerian undergraduates. Another Nigerian study among dating university students found that personality characteristics significantly predicted romantic relationship satisfaction, further demonstrating the importance of psychological variables in understanding relationship quality among Nigerian students. Against this background, investigating the relationship between attachment styles and romantic relationship satisfaction among undergraduate students of the University of Calabar is important because it can provide institution-specific evidence concerning how secure and insecure attachment orientations are associated with students’ evaluations of their romantic relationships.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Romantic relationships are increasingly relevant to the social and emotional lives of young adults, yet not all undergraduate students experience them as sources of fulfilment and emotional security. Some students experience supportive and satisfying relationships characterized by trust, communication, intimacy and commitment, whereas others experience recurring conflict, jealousy, emotional distance, fear of abandonment and dissatisfaction. The differences may partly reflect individual attachment orientations. Evidence from young adult and university samples indicates that insecure attachment is associated with poorer romantic relationship outcomes, with anxiety and avoidance particularly linked to lower satisfaction. However, the presence of romantic relationships among university students does not by itself explain why some relationships are satisfying while others are characterized by persistent difficulties.

A second problem concerns the behavioural and emotional patterns associated with different attachment styles. Students with anxious attachment may become excessively concerned about their partners’ availability, affection or commitment and may interpret ordinary relationship events as signs of rejection. Such concerns may produce reassurance-seeking, jealousy, emotional dependence and conflict. On the other hand, students with avoidant attachment may experience discomfort with intimacy, dependence or emotional vulnerability and may respond to relationship difficulties through withdrawal or emotional distancing. Securely attached students may be better positioned to establish trust, communicate needs and manage interpersonal challenges constructively. Meta-analytic evidence confirms that both attachment anxiety and avoidance are associated with poorer relationship quality, although the strength and nature of the associations can differ across relationship outcomes. The problem, therefore, is that without understanding these attachment-related differences, relationship difficulties among young adults may be viewed simply as ordinary interpersonal disagreements rather than as patterns associated with deeper relational orientations.

A further problem is that romantic relationship satisfaction among Nigerian university students has received less attention than many other areas of student adjustment, particularly when attachment styles are considered as the central explanatory variable. Existing Nigerian research has examined related issues such as personality and romantic relationship satisfaction among university students and attachment styles in relation to conflict resolution among undergraduates. Research conducted in Oyo State has also investigated attachment styles alongside personality, age and gender as determinants of romantic relationship quality among emerging adults in tertiary institutions. Nevertheless, findings from other Nigerian universities and geographical contexts cannot automatically be assumed to represent students of the University of Calabar because students’ interpersonal experiences may be shaped by their particular social, cultural and institutional environment.

The specific problem that this study seeks to address, therefore, is the insufficient empirical understanding of the relationship between attachment styles and romantic relationship satisfaction among undergraduate students of the University of Calabar. Although international evidence consistently suggests that secure attachment is generally associated with healthier relationship outcomes while anxious and avoidant attachment are associated with poorer relationship quality, the extent to which this pattern applies to undergraduate students in the University of Calabar requires empirical examination. Establishing this relationship may provide useful information for students, counsellors, psychologists, educators and university support services in understanding relational difficulties and promoting healthier interpersonal relationships among young adults.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The general purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between attachment styles and romantic relationship satisfaction among young adults, with particular reference to undergraduate students of the University of Calabar.

Specifically, the study seeks to:

1. determine the predominant attachment styles among undergraduate students of the University of Calabar who are involved in romantic relationships;
2. determine the level of romantic relationship satisfaction among undergraduate students of the University of Calabar;
3. examine the relationship between secure attachment and romantic relationship satisfaction among the students;
4. examine the relationship between anxious attachment and romantic relationship satisfaction among the students

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions will guide the study:

1. What are the predominant attachment styles among undergraduate students of the University of Calabar who are involved in romantic relationships?
2. What is the level of romantic relationship satisfaction among undergraduate students of the University of Calabar?
3. What is the relationship between secure attachment and romantic relationship satisfaction among the students?
4. What is the relationship between anxious attachment and romantic relationship satisfaction among the students?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

The following null hypothesis will be tested at the 0.05 level of significance:

H₀: There is no significant relationship between attachment styles and romantic relationship satisfaction among undergraduate students of the University of Calabar.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will be significant to undergraduate students. The study may help students understand that differences in the way they approach intimacy, trust, dependence and emotional closeness can influence their romantic experiences. Greater awareness of attachment patterns may encourage students to identify unhealthy relational behaviours and develop more constructive approaches to communication, conflict management and emotional regulation.

The study will also be significant to university counsellors and psychologists. The findings may provide useful empirical information for counselling interventions designed to address relationship conflicts, jealousy, emotional dependency, fear of abandonment, emotional withdrawal and other interpersonal difficulties among students. Counsellors may use the findings as a basis for developing relationship education and psychosocial programmes that promote healthier attachment-related behaviours.

The study will be useful to lecturers, student-affairs personnel and university administrators. Understanding factors associated with students’ relationship satisfaction may help university authorities appreciate the broader interpersonal and psychosocial dimensions of student development. Where relationship difficulties contribute to emotional distress or interfere with students’ academic and social adjustment, appropriate guidance and support services may be strengthened.

The study will also be relevant to parents and guardians. Knowledge about attachment and romantic relationship satisfaction may help parents and other significant adults appreciate the importance of healthy emotional relationships and interpersonal communication in the development of young people. The study may encourage greater attention to emotional support and healthy relational skills among young adults.

Furthermore, the study will contribute to the academic literature on attachment and romantic relationships in Nigeria. Existing Nigerian research has examined related issues, including romantic relationship quality, personality and attachment-related conflict resolution, but there remains a need for more institution-specific evidence. The findings of this study may therefore provide a basis for comparison with research conducted in other Nigerian and international university settings.

Finally, the study will be useful to future researchers in psychology, counselling, sociology, education and related disciplines. It may serve as empirical material for further investigations into attachment, relationship satisfaction, emotional wellbeing, interpersonal conflict, gender differences and romantic relationship development among Nigerian young adults.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study will examine the relationship between attachment styles and romantic relationship satisfaction among undergraduate students of the University of Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.

The study will be limited to undergraduate students who are young adults and who have experience of, or are currently involved in, romantic relationships. The independent variable of the study is attachment styles, while the dependent variable is romantic relationship satisfaction.

For the purpose of the study, attachment styles will primarily be examined in terms of secure, anxious and avoidant attachment orientations. Secure attachment will refer to comfort with intimacy, trust and appropriate dependence. Anxious attachment will refer to heightened concern about rejection, abandonment and the availability of one’s romantic partner. Avoidant attachment will refer to discomfort with intimacy, emotional dependence and excessive closeness.

Romantic relationship satisfaction will be considered in terms of students’ subjective evaluations of happiness, emotional closeness, communication, trust, affection, commitment, compatibility and general satisfaction with their romantic relationships.

Geographically, the study will be restricted to undergraduate students of the University of Calabar. The study will not cover postgraduate students or young adults who are not university students. It will also not attempt to investigate every possible factor influencing romantic relationship satisfaction, such as personality, socioeconomic status, family background, religiosity or sexual behaviour, except where such variables are considered relevant as background characteristics.

1.8 Operational Definition of Terms

Attachment: A lasting emotional bond or relational orientation that influences how individuals perceive, approach and respond to significant interpersonal relationships.

Attachment Style: An individual’s relatively stable pattern of relating to others in intimate relationships, particularly with respect to trust, intimacy, dependence, emotional security and fear of rejection.

Anxious Attachment: An insecure attachment orientation characterized by strong concerns about rejection, abandonment, insufficient affection and the availability or commitment of a romantic partner.

Avoidant Attachment: An insecure attachment orientation characterized by discomfort with emotional intimacy, dependence, vulnerability and excessive closeness in relationships.

Secure Attachment: An attachment orientation characterized by confidence in oneself and others, comfort with intimacy, trust and an ability to depend on and support a romantic partner appropriately.

Young Adults: Individuals within the developmental period between adolescence and mature adulthood. In this study, the term refers specifically to undergraduate students within the young-adult age range covered by the study.

Undergraduate Students: Students formally enrolled in bachelor’s degree programmes at the University of Calabar.

Romantic Relationship: An intimate interpersonal relationship between two individuals involving emotional closeness, affection, attraction, companionship or commitment.

Romantic Relationship Satisfaction: The degree to which an individual feels happy, fulfilled, emotionally connected and satisfied with the quality and functioning of his or her romantic relationship.

Relationship Quality: The overall positive or negative evaluation of an intimate relationship based on factors such as communication, intimacy, support, trust, conflict and satisfaction.

University of Calabar: A federal university located in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria, and the institutional setting selected for this study. The university describes itself as a Nigerian institution committed to producing graduates for global leadership and ethical service.

1.9 Organisation of the Study

The study will be organized into five chapters.

Chapter One will present the introduction to the study. It will contain the background to the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, research questions, research hypothesis, significance of the study, scope of the study, operational definition of terms and organisation of the study.

Chapter Two will review relevant literature related to attachment styles and romantic relationship satisfaction. The chapter will cover the conceptual review, theoretical review, empirical review and summary of the reviewed literature. Attachment Theory will provide the major theoretical foundation for understanding the relationship between attachment orientations and romantic relationship outcomes.

Chapter Three will present the research methodology. It will discuss the research design, area of the study, population of the study, sample and sampling technique, instrument for data collection, validity of the instrument, reliability of the instrument, method of data collection and method of data analysis.

Chapter Four will present the analysis and interpretation of data obtained from the respondents. The research questions will be answered using appropriate descriptive statistics, while the research hypothesis will be tested using an appropriate inferential statistical technique at the 0.05 level of significance.

Chapter Five will contain the summary of findings, conclusion, recommendations and suggestions for further studies. The chapter will relate the major findings to the research objectives and provide recommendations based on the evidence obtained from the study.

Project – Relationship Between Attachment Styles and Romantic Relationship Satisfaction among Young Adults: A Study of Undergraduate Students of the University of Calabar