Running head: ATTACHMENT AND COMMITMENT 1 Adult Attachment and Commitment to Romantic Relationships

Two factors that may influence the quality of romantic relationships are attachment style to one‟s parents and current adult attachment to romantic partners. This study utilized the attachment literature to establish a framework for examining how adult attachment to parents may be related to relationship commitment. It was predicted that gender and family structure would be associated with the quality of relationships children have with their parents and that attachment to romantic partners would mediate the relationship between attachment to parents and commitment. It was further predicted that a combination of low anxiety and low avoidance with parents (i.e., secure attachment) would predict higher interest in committing to exclusive romantic relationships, and higher levels of commitment within those relationships, than those with insecure attachment. Data was collected from college students through a computer-based survey. Results showed that attachment to mothers and fathers was predictive of interest in commitment, but not actual patterns of commitment or level of commitment to romantic partners. Mediation analyses provided evidence that attachment avoidance with mothers is transferred to romantic partners, which, in turn, is negatively related to interest in commitment. The findings from this study demonstrate the importance of the quality of relationships with parents in individuals‟ commitment to romantic relationships. ATTACHMENT AND COMMITMENT 3 Adult Attachment and Commitment to Romantic Relationships Most Americans view marriage as an important, and typical, part of life. Although 90% of all adults in America eventually get married, approximately 50% of all marriages end in divorce (Conger, Cui, Bryant, & Elder, 2000). Uncovering the predictors of the quality of romantic relationships may help to explain the reasons for this high divorce rate. Two factors that may influence the quality of romantic relationships are attachment style to one‟s parents, as developed in the context of childhood family relationships, and current adult attachment to romantic partners. Attachment to parents in childhood provides a working model for one‟s relationships with significant others (Collins, Guichard, Ford, & Feeney, 2004). In adulthood, people transfer these attachment representations from their parents to close others and romantic partners (Hazan, Gur-Yaish, & Campa, 2004). In addition to attachment styles, the quality of romantic relationships can be attributed to an individual‟s commitment to the relationship. However, there is limited information on how attachment contributes to emerging adults‟ interest in, and exclusive commitment to, romantic partners. The present study is designed to address this gap. This paper will explore how attachment to parents in childhood relates to adult attachment to others and romantic partners, as well as commitment to relationships in emerging adulthood. First, the theoretical framework of attachment theory in infancy will be provided. Second, the links between attachment to parents and emerging adult attachment will be described, with particular attention focused on childhood family structure and individual characteristics. Third, adult attachment will be explored in terms of attachment to others and to romantic partners. Fourth, the specific issue of commitment in adult romantic relationships will ATTACHMENT AND COMMITMENT 4 be examined, with a distinction made between committing to a relationship and the level of commitment. Finally, the framework for the current study will be provided.