The Implications of Childhood Parental Loss on Attachment Within Adult Romantic Relationships
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of childhood parental loss on attachment patterns within romantic and parental relationships. Whereas much of the existing research has focused on the impact of loss on attachment relationships overall, there is minimal research specifically examining the impact of childhood parental loss on adult romantic relationships. This study assessed differences in attachment relationships, both parental and romantic, between adults who experienced the loss of a parent in childhood/adolescence (i.e., before age 18) and those who had not experienced such loss. All participants reported on romantic attachment, parental attachment, and relationship satisfaction. As hypothesized, it was found that individuals who experienced early parental loss, when compared to those who did not experience such loss, were more likely to experience anxious and avoidant attachments with their romantic partner, as well with their respective surviving parent. Contrary to prediction, there were no significant difference in reports of relationship satisfaction between the two groups. Within the parental loss group, further analysis found stronger effects for those who identified the deceased parent as the primary caregiver, but found no significant effects for the age at which the loss took place. The findings indicated that there is some evidence to suggest experiencing parental death in childhood puts one at a greater risk of forming insecure attachment relationships in the future. These findings have important implications for future research on adult attachment, as well as for clinicians working with individuals who have experienced early parental loss.
Subject Area
Mental health
Recommended Citation
Bonaviso, Lisa, "The Implications of Childhood Parental Loss on Attachment Within Adult Romantic Relationships" (2022). ETD Collection for Pace University. AAI29398622.
https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/dissertations/AAI29398622
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