LOVE STYLES AND ADULT ROMANTIC ATTACHMENT
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Abstract
Aim of this study was to examine differences in attitudes toward love in romantic relationships between individuals with different patterns of adult romantic attachment. Sample consisted of 451 participants with different educational, employment and material status and was uniform in respect to gender (51.9% female). Average age of the sample was 29.92 years (SD = 6.30) ranging from 19 to 45 years. Participants included in this research are in a dating relationship (43.3%), between 1 and 10 years or in a cohabiting relationship (55.7%), between 1 year and 42 years. An abbreviated form of the Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory (ECR; Brennan et al., 1998, modified by Kamenov & Jelić, 2003) was used to identify patterns of adult romantic attachment. The Love Attitudes Scale (LAS; Hendrick & Hendrick, 1998) was used to assess six love styles: Eros (passionate love), Ludus (love as a game), Storge (friendly love), Pragma (pragmatic love), Mania (possessive love), and Agape (selfless love). In order to examine the differences in attitudes towards love among individuals with different patterns of adult romantic attachment a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted. Securely attached individuals achieve higher scores on the Eros and Agape love style and lower on the Ludus love style than avoidant individuals; lower scores on the Pragma and Mania love styles compared to the preoccupied individuals; as well as lower scores on Ludus, Storge, Pragma and Mania love styles compared to fearful individuals. Preoccupied individuals achieve higher scores on Eros, Mania, and Agape love styles and lower scores on the Ludus love style compared to avoidant individuals; as well as lower scores on the Ludus love style compared to fearful individuals. Fearful individuals achieve higher scores on the Mania love style compared to avoidant individuals. These study results largely confirm the results of previous research indicating the possibility of distinguishing the attitudes that individuals in romantic relationships have towards love in relation to their characteristic patterns of adult romantic attachment. The obtained results can have important practical implications indicating the possibility of timely provision of necessary counseling and support to individuals with adult romantic attachment patterns related to love styles that contribute to reducing the quality of romantic relationships as well as general well-being.
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