Attachment anxiety, self-disclosure, and authenticity: the moderating role of interdependence

ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . iii TABLE OF CONTENTS . iv LIST OF TABLES . vii LIST OF FIGURES . ix 1.0 INTRODUCTION . 1 1.1 Attachment.3 1.1.1 Individual differences in attachment . 6 1.1.2 Adult romantic attachment . 8 1.1.3 Attachment and interpersonal functioning . 11 1.1.4 Attachment and self-disclosure . 14 1.2 Risk Regulation . 19 1.2.1 Individual differences in risk regulation . 22 1.2.2 Attachment and risk regulation . 24 1.2.3 Attachment, risk regulation, and interdependence . 24 1.3 Attachment and Authenticity . 28 1.3.1 Attachment, authenticity, and interdependence . 30 1.4 Current Study . 31 1.4.1 Objectives . 32 1.4.2 Hypotheses . 34 2.0 METHOD . 36 2.1 Participants . 36 2.2 Measures . 39 2.2.1 Demographics questionnaire . 39 2.2.2 Scrambled Sentence Task . 39 2.2.3 Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory – Short Form . 39 2.2. 4 Self-Disclosure Index . 40 2.2. 5 Self-Disclosure Coding System . 41 2.2. 6 Authenticity in Close Relationships Inventory . 43 2.2. 7 Unidimensional Relationship Closeness Scale . 43 2.2. 8 The Relationship Assessment Scale . 44 2.2. 9 The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale . 45 2.3 Procedure . 47 3.0 RESULTS . 49 3.1 Data Conditioning . 49 3.1.1 Data screening and cleaning . 49 3.1.2 Consideration of missing data . 50 3.1.3 Univariate outliers and normality . 52 ATTACHMENT ANXIETY & SELF-DISCLOSURE v 3.1.4 Multivariate outliers . 53 3.2 Descriptive Statistics . 53 3.3 Principal Statistical Analyses . 60 3.3.1 Hypothesis 1: Interdependence across relationship domains . 60 3.3.2 Hypothesis 2: Behavioural and self-reported disclosure . 60 3.3.3 Hypothesis 3: Attachment anxiety, interdependence, and selfreported disclosure . 64 3.3. 4 Hypothesis 4: Attachment anxiety, interdependence, and behavioural self-disclosure . 68 3.3. 5 Hypothesis 5: Attachment anxiety, interdependence, and authenticity . 77 3.3. 6 Hypothesis 6: Attachment anxiety, pro-relational behaviours, and romantic relationship satisfaction . 85 3.3. 7 Supplemental analysis: Attachment anxiety, interdependence, pro-relational behaviours, and romantic relationship satisfaction . 87 3.3. 8 Hypothesis 7: Attachment anxiety, pro-relational behaviours, and platonic relationship satisfaction . 92 3.3. 9 Supplemental analysis: Attachment anxiety, interdependence, pro-relational behaviours, and platonic relationship satisfaction . 93 4.0 DISCUSSION . 96 4.1 Objectives . 96 4.2 Interdependence Across Relationship Domains . 96 4.3 Behavioural and Self-Reported Disclosure . 98 4.4 Attachment Anxiety, Interdependence, and Pro-Relational Behaviours . 99 4.4.1 Behavioural self-disclosure . 99 4.4.2 Self-reported disclosure . 105 4.4.3 Authenticity . 107 4.4.4 Summary . 109 4.5 Attachment Anxiety, Pro-Relational Behaviours, and Relationship Satisfaction . 111 4.5. 1 Romantic relationship satisfaction . 111 4.5. 2 Platonic relationship satisfaction . 113 4.6 Theoretical Implications . 115 4.7 Clinical Implications . 117 4.8 Strengths, Limitations, Future Directions . 118 4.9 Conclusion . 123 5.0 REFERENCES . 124 APPENDIX A – Informed Consent and Debriefing Form . 147 APPENDIX B – Demographics Questionnaire . 149 APPENDIX C – Scrambled Sentence Task . 150 ATTACHMENT ANXIETY & SELF-DISCLOSURE vi APPENDIX D – Experiences in Close Relationships Short Form . 151 APPENDIX E – Self-Disclosure Index (Platonic Version) . 152 APPENDIX F – Self-Disclosure Index (Romantic Version) . 153 APPENDIX G – Behavioural Self-Disclosure Task Instructions . 154 APPENDIX H – Authenticity in Close Relationships Scale (Romantic Version) . 155 APPENDIX I – Authenticity in Close Relationships Scale (Platonic Version). 157 APPENDIX J – Unidimensional Relationship Closeness Scale (Romantic Version) . 159 APPENDIX K – Unidimensional Relationship Closeness Scale (Platonic Version) . 160 APPENDIX L – Relationship Assessment Scale (Romantic Version) . 161 APPENDIX M – Relationship Assessment Scale (Platonic Version) . 162 APPENDIX N – Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale . 163