Attachment Styles and Risky Sexual Behaviour Preliminary Research

Running Head: ATTACHMENT STYLES AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS
CLSY 6802 Research Paper
AN EXAMINATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN

ATTACHMENT STYLES AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS
A Research Paper
Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of
Master of Science in Clinical Psychology
of
The University of the West Indies
Denise Dumas-Koylass
83740820
2013
Department of Clinical Medical Sciences

Faculty of Medical Sciences
St. Augustine Campus
i
ABSTRACT
An Examination of the Relationship between Attachment Styles and

Sexual Behaviour
Denise Dumas-Koylass
This paper examines the relationship between attachment styles and sexual
behaviour. Understanding the variables that influence sexual behaviour is
important to the process of designing therapeutic interventions and
psychoeducational sessions that are relevant to the needs of individuals struggling
with risky sexual behaviour. It was hypothesized that a significant relationship
would exist between insecure attachment styles and risky sexual behaviour. In
order to test the research hypothesis, the study used a quantitative correlational
research design to examine the relationship between the two variables.
Participants in this study were 269 men and women between the ages of 18 to 49
years who completed three (3) questionnaires, a demographic questionnaire, the
Experiences in Close Relationships Revised (ECR-R) and the Sexual Risk Survey
(SRS). Nonparametric tests were utilized to analyze the data. The overall results
of the study indicate that participants with insecure avoidant attachment styles
engage in more risky sexual behaviours than those with a secure attachment style.
The implications of the research for psychotherapy are discussed.
Keywords: attachment style, risky sexual behaviour, internal working model
ii
Acknowledgments
I thank my supervisor, Professor Gerard Hutchinson, for his understanding

and support. I am grateful to Dr. Tony Bastick for the feedback given to my peer
supervision team during the conduct of our pilot studies. I also greatly appreciate
the guidance given by Mr. Marvin Pacheco and Ms. Kathrine Inniss.
I appreciate the encouragement provided by members of the Academic

Team, Dr. Peter Weller, Ms. Tiffany Hutcheon and Dr. Krishna Maharaj, as well
as the support provided by my fellow students and friends, Lara Baden-Semper,
Esther John, Kelly McFarlane, Chezelle Joseph, John-Paul Atherley and
Jenny Garcia.
My thanks to Dr. Jessica Turchik for her willingness to provide

instructions in the use of the Sexual Risk Survey (Turchik & Garske, 2008).
Finally, I thank my husband, Ronald Koylass, and our sons, Jason, David
and Andre, for their genuine interest in my academic endeavours and their
unwavering love and support during my time of study. Thank you.
iii
Dedication
This paper is dedicated to my father, Clyde Gabriel Dumas, in honour of his

investment in my education and the genuine interest that he continued to show in
my academic endeavours despite his health struggles which he finally lost during
my final semester of study
iv
Table of Contents
Abstract
Acknowledgments................................................................................................... ii
Dedication .............................................................................................................. iii
List of Figures ....................................................................................................... vii
List of Tables ....................................................................................................... viii
Chapter 1 ................................................................................................................. 1
Introduction to the Study ........................................................................................ 1
Overarching Objective ........................................................................................ 1
General Introduction and Justification ................................................................ 1
Operational Definitions ....................................................................................... 2
Risky sexual behaviour ................................................................................... 2
Attachment ...................................................................................................... 2
Internal working model ................................................................................... 3
Attachment style ............................................................................................. 3
Chapter 2 ................................................................................................................. 4
Literature Review.................................................................................................... 4
Risky Sexual Behaviour ...................................................................................... 4
Attachment Theory ............................................................................................. 5
Internal working model ................................................................................... 7
Long term impact of attachment models ........................................................ 8
Adult attachment styles ................................................................................... 9
Secure attachment style............................................................................. 12
v
Insecure dismissive-avoidant attachment style ......................................... 12
Insecure anxious-preoccupied attachment style........................................ 12
Insecure fearful-avoidant attachment style ............................................... 13
Attachment Style and Sexual Behaviour .......................................................... 13
Research Questions and Major Hypotheses ...................................................... 14
Chapter 3 ............................................................................................................... 16
Method .................................................................................................................. 16
Participants ........................................................................................................ 16
Research Design................................................................................................ 19
Measures ........................................................................................................... 19
Demographic questionnaire .......................................................................... 19
Experiences in Close Relationships Revised (ECR-R)................................. 19
Sexual Risk Survey (SRS) ............................................................................ 21
SRS Factors ............................................................................................... 21
Procedure .......................................................................................................... 23
Ethical protocol ............................................................................................. 23
Recruitment ................................................................................................... 23
Major stages of data analysis ........................................................................ 24
Field test ........................................................................................................ 27
Reliability...................................................................................................... 27
Convergent validity....................................................................................... 31
Concurrent validity ....................................................................................... 31
Chapter 4 ............................................................................................................... 33
vi
Results ................................................................................................................... 33
Testing of Normality ......................................................................................... 33
Profile of Attachment Styles ............................................................................. 33
Overview of Hypothesis Testing ...................................................................... 36
Overview of Results .......................................................................................... 36
Attachment styles and sexual behaviours ..................................................... 36
Risky sex acts ................................................................................................ 36
Impulsive sexual behaviours ......................................................................... 37
Risky anal sex acts ........................................................................................ 37
Secure vs. insecure dismissive-avoidant attachment style. ........................... 38
Secure vs. insecure fearful-avoidant attachment style. ................................. 40
Secure vs. insecure anxious-preoccupied attachment style. ......................... 41
Chapter 5 ............................................................................................................... 42
Discussion ............................................................................................................. 42
Chapter 6 ............................................................................................................... 45
Limitations and Recommendations....................................................................... 45
Limitations ........................................................................................................ 45
Recommendations ............................................................................................. 46
Therapeutic Interventions ............................................................................. 46
Psychoeducational workshops ...................................................................... 48
References ............................................................................................................. 49
Appendix A: Copy of Research Instrument
Appendix B: Ethics Approval Document (UWI)
vii
List of Figures
FIGURE
1.
Adult attachment styles.. 10
2.
Internal working model.. 11
3.
Four-category model of adult attachment..
44
viii
List of Tables
TABLE
1.
Demographic profile of the sample...
17
2.
SRS recoding value specifications
26
3.
Factor loadings: ECR-R..
29
4.
Rotated component matrix for the SRS.
30
5.
Convergent validity: correlations between the SRS factors and other
31
scales
6.
Concurrent validity: correlations between the SRS factors and other
32
scales
7.
Profile of respondents grouped by attachment styles
34
8.
Kruskal-Wallis test: attachment styles and sexual behaviours.
38
9.
Mann-Whitney test: secure vs. dismissive-avoidant attachment style
39
10.
Mann-Whitney test: secure vs. insecure fearful-avoidant attachment
40
style
11.
Mann-Whitney test: secure vs. insecure anxious-preoccupied

attachment style
41
Chapter 1
Introduction to the Study
Overarching Objective
The focus of this study is to explore the relationship between attachment
styles and sexual behaviour in adults. It is hoped that the research findings would
contribute to the development of effective therapeutic interventions and
psychoeducational sessions for individuals and groups struggling with risky
sexual behaviour.
General Introduction and Justification
Understanding the variables impacting sexual behaviour is important for
mental health practitioners working with individual clients as well as for those
working in the public health arena. Risky sexual behaviour continues to place
persons at risk for unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections
(STIs) such as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
In this regard, the HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to be a critical public
health issue for countries such as Trinidad and Tobago. In the 2010 Report on the
Global AIDS Epidemic, the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that the
prevalence rate of adults aged 15-49 living with HIV in Trinidad and Tobago was
estimated at around 1.5% compared to the prevalence percentage of <0.1% in
Japan, 0.3% in Canada and 0.6% in the United States of America (USA).
Operational Definitions
Risky sexual behaviour. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(2010) define risky sexual behaviour as behavior that increases ones risk of
contracting sexually transmitted infections and experiencing unintended
pregnancies. It includes having sex at an early age, having multiple sexual
partners, having sex while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and
unprotected sexual behaviors (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010).
Ciesla, Roberts and Hewitt (2004) state that it is important to understand
the underlying interpersonal and affective motives influencing risky sexual
behaviour. They propose that attachment theory (Bowlby, 1980) may provide a
useful framework through which to explore the interpersonal nature (p. 109) of
sexual behaviour.
Attachment. Bowlby defined attachment as an enduring affective bond
characterized by a tendency to seek and maintain proximity to a specific person,
particularly when under stress (Bowlby, 1969 cited in Levy and Orlans, 2000, p.
6). Bowlby theorized that the evolutionary purpose of attachment is survival, that
is, that the safety of human infants is designed to be optimized by maintaining
proximity to their primary caregiver, usually their mother (Fisher & McKnulty,
2010).
Berghaus (2011) explains that as a child engages with his or her primary
caregiver, he or she experiences either responsiveness, rejection, or some
combination of both. Eventually, the infant learns to predict caregiver responses
based on actual experience (p. 6). Attachment theory therefore emphasizes the
importance of the bond that develops between a child and his or her primary
caregiver and the consequences that this bond has on the childs future
relationships (Morsunbul, 2009, p. 234).
Internal working model. In Bowlbys book Loss: Sadness and
Depression (1980), he described the concept of the internal working model.
Attachment theory holds that a child develops an internal working model, about
both self and others, based on actual early experiences with their primary
caregiver. According to Bowlby, this internal working model, which consolidates
by the end of adolescence and becomes resistant to change in adulthood,
influences an individuals relationships with significant others over the lifespan.
Attachment style. Attachment style refers to the way a child relates to
a primary caregiver figure or the way an adult relates to significant others in the
context of intimate relationships (Psychology Glossary, 2013).
The focus of this study was to explore the relationship between adult
attachment styles and sexual behaviour in order to provide information that could
contribute to the development of therapeutic interventions and psychoeducational
sessions for individuals and groups struggling with risky sexual behaviour. A
review of the literature on these two variables is outlined below.
Chapter 2
Literature Review
Risky Sexual Behaviour

Becoming a responsible human being includes learning to manage ones
sexuality. The health consequences of taking sexual risks can include emotional
trauma and costly physical health consequences such as unplanned pregnancy,
sexually transmitted diseases and, in rare cases, even death (Cooper, 2002, p.
101).
A number of factors have been cited as possible causes of risky sexual
behaviour. These include the use of mood-altering substances such as alcohol,
low impulse control, an avoidant style of coping with negative emotions, peer
norms, the characteristics of ones home environment (Cooper, 2006, p. 19) and
poor quality parenting such as harsh-conflictual parent-child relationships, low
parental warmth or supportiveness, lack of parental monitoring or supervision
(Ellis, Schlomer, Tilley and Butler, 2011, p. 318).
With regard to parent-child relationships, Ellis et al. (2011) explained that
childhood exposures to dysfunctional parenting induce emotionally and
behaviourally dysregulated psychological functioning (p. 319) including risky
sexual behaviour.
Ciesla, Roberts and Hewitt (2004) proposed that attachment theory

(Bowlby, 1980) may provide a useful framework through which to explore the
interpersonal nature (p. 109) of sexual behaviour. Ciesla et al. in their 2004
study examined the relationship between attachment style and sexual behaviour
among HIV-positive patients and found that insecure attachment styles were
associated with risky sexual behaviour, such as having multiple sexual partners.
Similar findings were made by Skowronski and Goh (2012) who concur
that a relationship exists between insecure (higher anxiety or avoidance)
attachment styles and sexual behaviour as compared to individuals with a secure
attachment style.
Attachment Theory
Attachment theory developed out of the work of John Bowlby and Mary
Ainsworth. Bowlby (1907-1990) began to develop the fundamental tenets of the
theory from the 1940s. Bowlby theorized that infants were biologically
programmed to form an emotional bond, or attachment, with their mother or other
primary caregiver. He posited that the evolutionary-based process of attachment
served to permit human infants to safely explore their environment while using
their caregiver as a secure base to whom they could readily return when
threatened by some perceived danger.
Mary Ainsworth (1913-1999), who was affiliated with Bowlby at the
Tavistock Clinic, was the other key contributor to the development of attachment
theory.
Ainsworths famous experiment, The Strange Situation, provided
empirical evidence for Bowlbys theory. The experiment essentially involved
separating infants from their mothers and observing the behaviour of the children
upon the eventual return of their mothers. On the basis of her observations,
Ainsworth classified the children participating in her experiment into three
groups: (a) securely attached; (b) avoidantly attached; and (c) ambivalently
attached.
Securely attached children feel safe to explore their environment because
they are confident that their mother would be readily available to protect them if
needed. Attachment theory holds that infants develop secure attachments when
their primary caregiver behaves in a sensitive manner and is responsive to their
needs (McLeod, 2008). As a result, they develop a positive working model of
themselves and have mental representations of others as being helpful, while
viewing themselves as worthy of respect (Jacobsen & Hoffman, 1997).
Some children adopt an ambivalent style of behaviour. They demonstrate
clingy and dependent behaviour and yet reject comfort from their primary
caregiver. Attachment theory holds that the anxious-ambivalent child does not
develop a sense of security due to the inconsistent level of response from his or
her attachment figure and, as a result, does not feel sufficiently confident to
explore new environments (McLeod, 2008). Furthermore, ambivalent children
develop a negative self-image and learn to exaggerate their emotional responses
as a way to gain attention (Kobak et al., 1973).
Other children adopt an avoidant style of behaviour in that they are

observed to be very independent, physically and emotionally, from their
attachment figure (Behrens, Hesse & Main, 2007 cited in McLeod, 2008).
Attachment theory holds that the avoidant child learns, based on experiences with
an insensitive and rejecting caregiver, to think of himself or herself as unworthy
of comfort and unacceptable to others (Larose & Bernier, 2001).
Attachment has a significant influence on the mental, emotional and social
development of human beings. Findings from various longitudinal studies have:
demonstrated that securely attached infants and toddlers do better later in
life regarding: self-esteem, independence and autonomy, enduring
friendships, trust and intimacy...impulse control, empathy and
compassion...and future marital and family relations (Jacobson & Wille,
1986; Main, Kaplan & Cassidy, 1985; Sroufe, Carlson & Shulman, 1993;
Troy & Sroufe, 1987; Waters, Wippman & Sroufe, 1979 cited in Levy and
Orlans, 2000, p. 7).
Previous research therefore indicates that children who start their lives built on a
foundation of secure attachment have a developmental advantage over insecurely
attached children (Levy and Orlans, 2000).
Internal working model. Attachment theory holds that human beings
develop an internal working model about both self and others based on their early
experiences with their primary caregiver. In Bowlbys book Attachment and
Loss: Vol. 2. Separation: Anxiety and Anger (1973), he described the concept of
the internal working model as follows:
Each individual builds working models of the world and of himself in it,
with the aid of which he perceives events, forecasts the future, and
constructs his plans. In the working models of the world that anyone
builds, a key feature is his notion of who his attachment figures are, where
they may be found, and how they may be expected to respond. Similarly,
in the working model of the self that anyone builds, a key feature is his
notion of how acceptable or unacceptable he himself is in the eyes of his
attachment figures (Bowlby, 1973, p. 203 cited in Pietromonaco &
Feldman Barrett, 2000, p. 155).
There are therefore two key features of these working models of
attachment: the first is the individuals image of significant other as likely to
respond in a positive manner and the second is the individuals image of self, as
likely to gain a positive response (Morsunbul, 2009). This mental representation
of the self and others helps the individual to predict and understand their
environmentand establish a psychological sense of felt security (cf.
Bretherton, 1985; Sroufe & Waters, 1977 cited in Pietromonaco & Feldman
Barrett, 2000, p. 155).
Internal working models, or mental representations, are theorized to firstly
include specific content about self and others that includes information about
what happened in earlier experiences with attachment figures, as well as the
emotions associated with those experiences (Bretherton, 1985 cited in
Pietromonaco & Feldman Barrett, 2000), and secondly to involve unconscious
processes that influence what information individuals attend to, how they
interpret events in their world, and what they remember (Pietromonaco &
Feldman Barrett, 2000, p. 156).
Long term impact of attachment models. Bowlby (1979) held that such
internal working models, which consolidate by the end of adolescence and
become resistant to change in adulthood, influence an individuals thought,
feeling and behaviour in adult relationships (Pietromonaco & Feldman Barrett,
2000, p. 155). Other researchers such as Hazan and Shaver (1987) and Meyer
(2011) support this perspective that attachment patterns established in childhood
will continue to affect an individual for the remainder of his or her life (Meyer,
2011, p. 3).
Adult attachment styles. Adult attachment refers to an individuals
stable tendency to seek and maintain closeness to one or a few significant others.
Ainsworth (1989) held that the identifying feature of an attachment relationship
is that it serves the function of providing felt security (Pietromonaco & Feldman
Barrett, 2000, p. 167).
Hazan and Shaver (1987) applied Bowlbys attachment theory to the study
of adult romantic behaviour. They identified three adult attachment styles:
secure, avoidant and anxious-ambivalent. In the context of attachment theory,
avoidance is defined as the extent to which individuals limit intimacy with
others (Holmes and Johnson, 2009, p. 835) and anxiety is defined as the extent
to which individuals worry about abandonment and rejection (Holmes and
Johnson, 2009, p. 835). These styles, which are reflective of attachment patterns
formed in childhood, are explained below:
Secure adults were defined as those who appear to be comfortable with
closeness in their relationships, and they were not particularly worried
about others rejecting them; anxious-ambivalent adults appeared to seek
excessive closeness and were concerned that they would be rejected; and
avoidant adults appeared uncomfortable with closeness and found it
difficult to depend on others (Pietromonaco & Feldman Barrett, 2000, p.
156).
10
Bartholomew and Horowitz (1991) subsequently added a fourth adult

attachment style, dismissive-avoidant, based on the internal working models of
self and other. These four adult attachment styles, secure, anxious-preoccupied,
fearful-avoidant and dismissive-avoidant are depicted in Figure I.
Figure I
Adult Attachment Styles
Retrieved from http://internal.psychology.illinois.edu/~rcfraley/attachment.htm
11
The four adult attachment styles identified by Bartholomew and Horowitz

(1991) are based on Bowlbys concept of the internal working model; they result
by combining a positive or negative model of the self with a positive or negative
model of others (Pietromonaco & Feldman Barrett, 2000, p. 157) as depicted in
Figure II.
Figure II
Internal Working Model
Retrieved from: http://birthblissdoulaservices.blogspot.com/2011/09/attachmenttheory-and-childrens-social.html
Secure and insecure dismissive-avoidant attachment styles are both based

on a positive sense of self whilst insecure anxious-preoccupied and insecure
fearful-avoidant attachment styles are both based on a negative sense of self. The
four adult attachment styles are explained in further detail below.
12
Secure attachment style. An individual considered to fit the secure

prototype tends to have a positive sense of self as worthy of love and a positive
model of others as generally accepting and responsive (Holmes and Johnson,
2009, p. 835). A securely attached individual tends to value intimate friendships
and demonstrate a capacity to maintain close relationships without losing
personal autonomy (Morsunbul, 2009, p. 234).
Insecure dismissive-avoidant attachment style. A person described as
fitting the insecure dismissive-avoidant prototype tends to have a positive sense of
self as worthy of love but have a negative evaluation of others as clingy, needy
and dependent (Holmes and Johnson, 2009, p. 835).
A dismissive-avoidant individual is characterized by a downplaying of
the importance of close relationships (and) restricted emotionality (Morsunbul,
2009, p. 234). Individuals who fit the dismissive-avoidant prototype tend to be
uncomfortable with closeness and depending on others and are able to suppress
their feelings (Fraley and Shaver, 1997 cited in Pietromonaco & Feldman
Barrett, 2000, p. 163).
Insecure anxious-preoccupied attachment style. A person considered to
meet the insecure anxious-preoccupied prototype tends to have a negative sense
of self as unworthy of love and a preoccupation with a need for acceptance from
positively evaluated others (Holmes and Johnson, 2009, p. 835). An anxiouspreoccupied person is characterized by an over involvement in close
relationships, a dependence on other peoples acceptance for a sense of personal
13
well-being, a tendency to idealize other people, and incoherence and exaggerated

emotionality in discussing relationships (Morsunbul, 2009, p. 234).
Individuals who fit the anxious-preoccupied prototype tend to desire a
high level of closeness to others and fear being abandoned; they also report
intense emotionsfrequent emotional ups and downshigh emotional
expressiveness.and high anxiety and impulsiveness (Pietromonaco & Feldman
Barrett, 2000, p. 163).
Insecure fearful-avoidant attachment style. An individual described as
meeting the insecure fearful-avoidant prototype tends to have a negative sense of
self and others. A fearful-avoidant individual is characterized by an avoidance
of close relationships because of fear of rejection, a sense of personal insecurity
and distrust of others (Morsunbul, 2009, p. 234). Individuals with a fearfulavoidant-attachment style are reported to both desire and fear being close to
others.
Attachment Style and Sexual Behaviour
The identifying feature of an attachment relationship is that it serves the
function of providing security. Pietromonaco & Feldman Barrett (2000) explain
that adults in romantic relationships are motivated by the attachment and
caregiving system as well as the reproductive systems:
The reproductive system is associated with sexual behaviours, which may
be activated by cues such as physical or social attractiveness. In adults, it
is likely that the three systems (attachment, caregiving and sexuality) work
together to produce felt security because individuals may feel worthwhile
and effective in the context of sexual intimacy (Pietromonaco & Feldman
Barrett, 2000, p. 168).
14
It is therefore conceivable that persons with insecure attachment styles,

who may be compulsively seeking a sense of felt security (Pietromonaco &
Feldman Barrett, 2000, p. 155), would engage in more risky sexual behaviour
than persons with a secure attachment style, who have a positive sense of both
self and others. To this end, a number of research questions were asked and
hypotheses developed.
Research Questions and Major Hypotheses
The present study examined whether a relationship exists between
different attachment styles and risky sexual behaviour. Based on the literature
review, the following research questions guided this study:
1.
Does risky sexual behaviour differ according to attachment styles?
2.
Does risky sexual behaviour differ between individuals with a secure

attachment style and individuals with insecure attachment styles?,
In this regard, it was hypothesized that:

H1. individuals with insecure attachment styles would engage in more risky
sexual behaviours than individuals with a secure attachment style.
H2. individuals with an insecure anxious-preoccupied attachment style would
engage in more risky sexual behaviours than individuals with a secure
attachment style.
H3. individuals with an insecure fearful-avoidant attachment style would
attachment style.
15
H4. individuals with an insecure dismissive-avoidant attachment style would

attachment style.
The research method utilized in testing these hypotheses is outlined in Chapter 3.
16
Chapter 3
Method
Participants
A sample of 269 adults between the ages of 18-49 years participated in the
study. 35.3 % of the participants were aged 21-22 years and 19.7% were over the
age of 25 years. More females (73.6%) than males (26.4%) participated in the
study and 92% of the participants were university students.
The sample was racially and ethnically diverse, with 33.8% East Indian;
29% Black; 32.7% Multi-racial; and 1.9% Caucasian. 25.3% of the participants
were Roman Catholic, 21.6% were Pentecostal, 14.1% were Hindu and 4.8%
were Muslim.
45% of the participants were single and did not have a steady relationship;
40.9% were single with a steady partner; 6.7% were married; 3% were living with
a partner; .4% were separated; .and 7% were divorced. 17.5% were in a
relationship for 2 5 years and 13.4% were in a relationship for 1 2 years.
90.7% of the participants identified their sexual orientation as heterosexual, 4.5%
as bisexual and 3.70% as homosexual. Sociodemographic characteristics of the
study sample are outlined in Table I.
17
Table I
Demographic Profile of the Sample (N 269)
Demographic / background variable
Mean age (SD)
21.31
(1.76)
Age Range
1849
Sex
% Male
26.4
% Female
73.6
Highest level of educational attainment

% Bachelor degree
35.3
% Some level of Tertiary education (no degree)
29.0
% Secondary school
20.4
Race / Ethnicity
% African
29.0
% East Indian
33.8
% Multi-racial
33.7
Sexual orientation
% Heterosexual
90.7
% Homosexual
3.7
% Bisexual
4.5
18
Religion
% Catholic
25.3
% Pentecostal
21.6
% Hinduism
14.1
% Islam
4.8
Current relationship status

% Single, without steady partner
45.0
% Single, with steady partner
40.9
% Married
6.7
% Separated
0.4
% Divorced
0.7
Length of Current Relationship

% two to five years
17.5
% one to two years
13.4
% not applicable
40.1
19
Research Design
The present study used a quantitative correlational research design to
examine the relationship between two variables, attachment styles and sexual
behaviours. Three (3) questionnaires designed to identify demographics,
attachment style and sexual behaviour were completed by participants.
Measures
The purpose of the present research was to examine the relationship
between attachment styles and sexual behaviour in adult participants. In order to
explore this relationship, participants were presented with three questionnaires: a
demographic questionnaire, the Experiences in Close Relationships Revised
(ECR-R) and the Sexual Risk Survey (SRS). A copy of the research instrument is
provided at Appendix A.
Demographic questionnaire. Participants reported demographic data
such as age, ethnicity, religion, highest level of education and sexual orientation.
Participants were also required to answer questions about their sexual risk taking
(such as age of sexual debut, number of sexual partners and birth control
practices) and whether they had experienced any health consequences from risky
sexual behaviour (such as concerns about or actual unplanned pregnancies and
sexually transmitted infections).
Experiences in Close Relationships Revised (ECR-R). Nosko et al.
(2011) explain that various ways exist to measure adult attachment. The current
study utilized the Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised (ECR-R) Adult
Attachment Questionnaire developed by Fraley, Waller and Brennan (2000). The
20
ECR-R is a self-report measure that uses a 7-point Likert-type scale to assess how
participants generally experience current and previous intimate relationships.
The measure, which contains 36 items, is designed to assess romantic
attachment on the basis of the four (4) adult attachment styles identified by
Bartholomew and Horowitz (1991) namely: (i) secure, (ii) anxious-preoccupied,
(iii) dismissive-avoidant and (iv) fearful-avoidant.
The ECR-R is a revised version of the Experiences in Close Relationships
Questionnaire (ECR) developed by Brennan, Clark and Shaver (1998). The items
on the ECR-R were selected from the same item pool as those from the ECR but
were selected using more modern techniques based on Item Response Theory as
explained below:
Both the ECR and ECR-R are designed to assess individual experiences
with respect to attachment-related anxiety (i.e. the extent to which people
are insecure vs. secure about the availability and responsiveness of
romantic partners) and attachment-related avoidance (i.e. the extent to
which people are uncomfortable being close to others vs. secure
depending on others) (Fraley, n.d.).
The ECR-R was selected for this study because it was reported to have
sound psychometric properties. Briere, Godbout & Runtz (2012) report that the
ECRR has demonstrated in numerous studies alphas of .90 or higher, high test
retest reliability, as well as good structural and discriminant validity (p. 305306). Sibley and Liu (2004) performed separate exploratory and conrmatory
factor analyses which indicated that the ECR-R provided a reliable and
replicable dual factor self-report measure of adult romantic attachment (p. 969).
21
The factor structure, internal reliability and short-term temporal stability

of the ECR-R were assessed. Separate exploratory and conrmatory factor
analyses performed on the data collected at time 1 and time 2 indicated
that the ECR-R displayed a clear two factor structure, and provided
reliable and replicable measures of both the attachment anxiety and
avoidance subscales. These resultssuggest that the scale maintains
acceptable classical psychometric properties while also capturing a more
evenly distributed range of trait scores (Sibley and Liu, 2004, p. 973).
Longitudinal studies also indicated that the ECR-R provided highly stable
indicators of latent attachment. In addition, hierarchical linear modeling analyses
have been used by other researchers to further validate the instrument (Sibley,
Fischer & Liu, 2005).
Sexual Risk Survey (SRS). The 23-item scale Sexual Risk Survey
(SRS), developed by Turchik and Garske (2008), was used to assess the frequency
of risky behaviours indicated by the participants. The instrument measures a
broad range of sexual behaviourswith higher scores indicating greater risk
taking (Turchik, 2012, p. 247).
SRS Factors. Responses to the questions in the SRS are analyzed to
determine levels of risk taking in the following five areas:
1.
SRS Factor 1: Sexual Risk Taking with Uncommitted Partners:

this subscale contains eight items that describe risky sexual acts
with partners that one was not in a relationship with (Turchik &
Garske, 2008, p.7-8);
2.
SRS Factor 2: Risky Sex Acts: this subscale contains 5 items

describing risk sex acts such as vaginal or oral sex without a
condom (Turchik & Garske, 2008, p.8);
3.
22
SRS Factor 3: Impulsive Sexual Behaviours: this subscale contains

five items describing impulsive and unplanned sexual
behaviours (Turchik & Garske, 2008, p.8);
4.
SRS Factor 4: Intent to Engage in Risky Sexual Behaviours: this

subscale contains two items describing intentions to engage in
sexual behaviours (Turchik & Garske, 2008, p.8); and
5.
SRS Factor 5: Risky Anal Sex Acts: this subscale contains three
items describing risky anal sex acts (Turchik & Garske, 2008,
p.8).
The SRS, as a measure of sexual risk taking, is reported to show evidence

of an adequate factor structure and sound psychometric properties. The
instrument was reported to have good internal consistency with a Cronbachs
alpha of .88 for the total scale and a two-week test-retest reliability of .93
(Turchik & Garske, 2008).
The measure was reported to demonstrate evidence of convergent validity,
as sexual risk taking was positively related to demographic variables such as
number of sexual partners and cheating behaviours (Turchik & Garske, 2008) and
concurrent validity, as sexual risk taking was found to be related to greater health
consequences such as the contracting of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and
unplanned pregnancy (Turchik & Garske, 2008).
23
Procedure
Ethical protocol. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee,
Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine. A
copy of the Ethics Approval Document has been provided at Appendix B. All
aspects of the research in this study were carried out in accordance with the
ethical guidelines of the University of the West Indies (1998), the British
Psychological Society (2010) and the American Psychological Association
(2010).
Recruitment. Recruitment of the sample of 269 participants was
accomplished through community-based and respondent-driven sampling.
Participants were recruited through direct contact and the use of flyers on the
campuses of three tertiary institutions in Trinidad: the University of the West
Indies (UWI), the School of Accounting and Management (SAM) and the
University of the Southern Caribbean (USC). Internet recruitment was also
utilized with participants being recruited through social media such as Facebook.
In addition, emails were issued to all students of UWI by UWIs Marketing
Department.
Interested individuals were provided with an online link to the website,
Survey Monkey.com in order to gain access anonymously to the online
instrument. Once on the specified website, interested persons were required to
read the Informed Consent document which was provided on the first page of the
survey instrument. Participants could only proceed to complete the questionnaire
after they had indicated that they were over 18 years, had read the Informed
24
Consent document and were willing to participate in the survey. All data were
collected anonymously by Survey Monkey and no codes were used to identify
any participant.
All participants who completed the survey were offered the opportunity to
enter in a prize drawing by emailing their contact particulars to the researcher
after they had exited the Survey Monkey website. The prize winner was then
randomly selected by the Marketing Department of the University of the West
Indies.
Major stages of data analysis. All participant data was exported directly
into Microsoft Excel by Survey Monkey. Participant scores for the 18 items
within each ECR-R scale were then averaged, using Excel, to determine each
participants anxiety and avoidance scores. In accordance with the instructions of
the instrument developers (Fraley, n. d.), questions 09, 11, 20, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29,
30, 31, 33, 34, 35 and 36 were reverse keyed before averaging.
The median score for avoidance, i.e. MAVOID, and the median score for
anxiety, i.e. MANX, were computed and participants assigned to one of the four
attachment styles, (i) secure, (2) insecure dismissive-avoidant, (3) insecure
fearful-avoidant and (4) insecure anxious-preoccupied in accordance with the
following instructions:
1. if the participants anxiety score was <MANX and the persons avoidance
score was <MAVOID, then he/she was assigned to the Secure group;
2.
25
if the participants anxiety score was <MANX and the persons avoidance
score was >=MAVOID, then he/she was assigned to the DismissiveAvoidant group;
3. if the participants anxiety score was >=MANX and the persons

avoidance score was >=MAVOID, then he/she was assigned to the
Fearful-Avoidant group; and
4. if the participants anxiety score was >=MANX and the persons
avoidance score was <MAVOID, then he/she was assigned to the AnxiousPreoccupied group (Fraley, n.d.).
After the participants were grouped according to their attachment styles,

the Excel file with the participant data was then exported into Statistical Package
for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows, Version 21 (SPSS Inc. 2010) for
further processing.
One of the first major tasks, using SPSS, was to recode the participants
raw frequency responses to the SRS into ordinal ranks based on value
specifications developed by Turchik and associates. The SRS value specifications
are outlined in Table II.
26
Table II
SRS Recoding Value Specifications
0
Item 1
2-3
5+
Item 2
2-3
5+
Item 3
2-3
5+
Item 4
1-2
3-5
6-14
15+
Item 5
1-2
3-5
6-19
20+
Item 6
3-5
6+
Item 7
3-4
5+
Item 8
3-6
7+
Item 9
1-4
5-19
20-64
65+
Item 10
1-3
4-10
11-49
50+
Item 11
1-5
6-15
16-44
45+
Item 12
1-4
5-11
12-39
40+
Item 13
1-2
3-4
5-10
11+
Item 14
1-2
3-5
6-10
11+
Item 15
1-2
3-5
6-9
10+
Item 16
2-3
4-5
6+
Item 17
2-3
5+
Item 18
1-3
4-8
9-19
20+
Item 19
1-2
3-4
5-8
9+
Item 20
2-3
4-9
10+
Item 21
2-3
5+
Item 22
4+
Item 23
3-4
5+
Note. When administering the SRS, participants should be allowed to write in a

frequency; however, the above table can guide in recoding of these frequencies
for scoring purposes.
27
Field test. A pilot study was conducted to pre-test the research instrument.
The 30 participants surveyed during the pilot indicated in their anonymous online
responses that they understood the instructions and that they had not experienced
any challenges in completing the survey.
Reliability. The pilot study was also used to check the internal
consistency reliability of the ECR-R and SRS. The results of the pilot study
indicated a very good internal consistency, with a Cronbach's alpha of .95 for the
SRS and .94 for the ECR-R.
The internal consistency reliability of both measures was then re-tested
with the study sample of 269 participants. The Cronbachs Alpha value of the
ECR-R 18-item anxiety and 18-item avoidance scales were .92 and .93
respectively, suggesting very good internal consistency reliability.
The Cronbachs Alpha value for the entire SRS 23-item scale was also
very good at .90. However, the value of the five SRS Factors varied depending on
the number of items in each category as follows: Cronbachs Alpha value of .92
for the 8-item SRS Factor 1, .86 for the 5-item SRS Factor 2, .75 for the 5-item
SRS Factor 3, .69 for the 2-item SRS Factor 4 and .68 for the 3-item SRS Factor
5. Pallant (2001) indicated that lower Cronbach values tend to be found with
shorter scales, e.g. a scale with less than ten items.
Construct validity. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to
evaluate the factor structure of both scales. Although the ECR-R has
demonstrated satisfactory validity and reliability in other studies (Sibley and Liu,
2004; Sibley, Fischer & Liu, 2005), it was necessary to investigate whether the
28
variables would maintain the necessary validity in a different sociocultural

context. After the initial factor analysis was performed using Varimax rotation, it
was found that both scales were not unidimensional.
After several iterations, a number of variables were removed and eight
items were retained on the ECR-R anxiety subscale with a variance extracted of
56.27% (i.e. questions 5, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16 and 18 were retained), while 11
items were retained on the ECR-R avoidance subscale at slightly below the 60%
threshold (i.e. questions 19, 20, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 35 and 36 were
retained). The factor loading matrix for this final solution is presented in Table
III.
The same procedure was performed on the SRS scale. However, the scale
displayed a similar factor structure to that found by the scale developers (Turchik
and Garske, 2008), with the exception of one variable, question 2, which was
removed. Question 2: How many times have you left a social event with someone
you just met? was expected to load as SRS Factor 3: Impulsive Sexual
Behaviours, but loaded as SRS Factor 4: Intent to Engage in Risky Sexual
Behaviours. The results of the rotated component matrix for the SRS are
presented in Table IV.
The internal consistency reliability of both measures was then re-tested.
The Cronbachs Alpha value of the revised ECR-R 8-item anxiety and 11-item
avoidance scales were .92 and .84 respectively, suggesting good internal
consistency reliability. The Cronbachs Alpha values of the five SRS Factors
were maintained.
29
Table III
Factor Loadings: ECR-R
Initial Eigenvalues
Anxiety
Component
Total
Extraction Sums of Squared Loadings
% of
Cumulative
Variance
Total
% of
Cumulative
Variance
4.502
56.274
56.274
4.502
56.274
.760
9.500
65.774
.760
9.500
.661
8.259
74.034
.661
8.259
.504
6.302
80.336
.504
6.302
.477
5.965
86.301
.477
5.965
.411
5.142
91.443
.411
5.142
.350
4.380
95.823
.350
4.380
.334
4.177
100.000
.334
4.177
6.379
57.993
57.993
6.379
57.993
.891
8.099
66.092
.710
6.455
72.547
.573
5.214
77.761
.514
4.676
82.437
.465
4.227
86.664
.437
3.971
90.635
.326
2.964
93.599
.264
2.397
95.996
10
.230
2.087
98.083
11
.211
1.917
100.000
56.274
Avoidance
Component
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis
Table IV
57.993
30
Rotated Component Matrix for the SRS

1
Re16
0.705
0.166
0.283
0.21 0.082
Re17
0.548
0.054
0.171
0.541 0.055
Re19
0.728
0.075
0.296
0.048 0.054
Re20
0.742
0.131
0.216
0.085 0.128
Re21
0.77
0.193
0.079
0.229 0.069
Re22
0.842
0.164
0.044
0.055 0.015
Re23
0.839
0.126
0.068
0.134 0.239
Re8
0.641
0.442
0.297
0.115
Re9
0.133
0.877
-0.03
0.006 0.067
Re10
0.208
0.833
0.034
0.019 0.024
Re11
0.151
0.791
0.238 -0.061 0.224
Re12
0.045
0.704
0.234 -0.086 0.188
Re18
0.285
0.592 -0.017
0.141
Re1
0.132
0.125
0.709
0.241 0.057
Re6
0.239
0.19
0.715
0.084 0.021
Re7
0.436
0.098
Re3
0.175
-0.02
0.582
0.422 0.084
0.11 -0.098
0.315
0.669 0.148
Re4
0.064 -0.049
0.244
0.733 0.029
Re5
0.245
0.128 -0.144
0.818 0.032
Re13
0.29
0.251 -0.002
0.012 0.723
0.226 0.805
0.06
0.19
0.66 -0.054 0.072
Re2 How many times have you left a social

event with someone you just met?
e14
0.063
0.084
0.005
Re15
0.054
0.195
0.163 -0.021 0.748
31
Convergent validity. Participants responses to questions in the SRS

about their sexual risk taking over the past six months were found to demonstrate
evidence of convergent validity with responses to questions related to sexual risk
taking in the demographic questionnaire, such as age of sexual debut, number of
sexual partners and birth control practices. Correlations are presented in Table V.
Table V
Convergent validity: Correlations between the SRS Factors and other scales
Scales
SRS
SRS
SRS
SRS
SRS
Factor I
Factor 2
Factor 3
Factor 4
Factor 5
Age of sexual debut
.29**
.51**
.19**
-.008
.17**
Number of sexual partners
.59**
.62**
.31**
.064
.31**
Birth control practices
.35**
.63**
.25**
.05
.26
**p< .01 (2-tailed)
Concurrent validity. Participants responses to questions in the SRS

about their sexual risk taking over the past six months were found to demonstrate
evidence of concurrent validity with responses to questions in the demographic
questionnaire about health consequences due to sexual risk taking, such as
concerns about getting pregnant and contracting a STI. Correlations are presented
in Table VI.
32
Table VI
Concurrent Validity: Correlations between the SRS Factors and other scales
Scales
How many times have you
SRS
SRS
SRS
SRS
SRS
Factor I
Factor
Factor
Factor 4
Factor
.38**
.66**
.24**
.01
.26**
.44**
.28**
.29**
.13*
.24**
.16*
.33
-.02
-.03
.17**
.17**
.24**
.08
-.09
.21**
thought you were pregnant or

had gotten someone
pregnant?
thought you might have a
STI?
been pregnant or gotten
someone pregnant?
had a STI?
*p<.05, **p< .01 (2-tailed)
33
Chapter 4
Results
Testing of Normality
Tests of normality were conducted and the results of the KolmogorovSmirnov statistic were found to be significant, that is, below 0.05. Since the
results of the normality tests indicated violation of the assumption of normality,
nonparametric statistical tests, such as the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U
Tests were utilized.
Profile of Attachment Styles
Attachment style was measured with the use of the modified ECR-R. The
results showed that 38 participants belonged to the Secure Attachment Style
(14.1%), 95 participants belonged to the Dismissive-Avoidant Attachment Style
(35.3%), 44 participants belonged to the Fearful-Avoidant Attachment Style
(16.4%) and 92 participants belonged to the Anxious-Preoccupied Attachment
Style (34.2%). The demographic characteristics of the participants, grouped
according to their attachment style, are outlined in Table VII.
34
Table VII
Profile of Respondents Grouped by Attachment Styles
Secure
Dismissing
Fearful
Preoccupied
22
21
over 25
21
% Male
34.2
29.5
18.2
23.9
% Female
65.8
70.5
81.8
76.1
% Black
28.9
27.4
22.7
33.7
% East Indian
31.6
37.9
34.1
30.4
% Multi-Racial
39.5
28.4
38.6
31.5
Average age
Gender
Race / Ethnicity
Religion
% Roman Catholic
21.1
25.3
25
27.2
% Pentecostal
10.5
26.3
20.5
21.7
% Hindu
18.4
14.7
9.1
14.1
% Muslim
5.3
5.3
4.5
4.3
Highest Level Education

% Secondary School
3.2
3.3
% CAPE A Levels
26.3
21.1
6.8
23.9
% Some tertiary level
21.1
34.7
34.1
23.9
% Assoc. Degree
5.3
4.2
6.8
6.5
% Bachelor
39.5
28.4
45.5
35.9
% Graduate
5.3
4.2
4.5
5.4
35
Secure
Dismissing
Fearful
Preoccupied
% Heterosexual
84.2
92.6
88.6
92.4
% Homosexual
5.3
3.2
6.8
2.2
% Bisexual
10.5
3.2
2.3
4.3
% Single w/o steady
47.4
50.5
40.9
40.2
% Single with steady
39.5
35.8
47.7
43.5
% Married
2.6
10.5
% Living with a partner
2.6
1.1
9.1
2.2
% .5 1 year
7.9
7.4
6.8
6.5
% 1 2 years
10.5
12.6
18.2
13.0
% 2 5 years
13.2
14.7
22.7
19.6
% 5 10 years
10.5
7.4
2.3
9.8
% 13 years or younger
5.3
7.4
2.3
3.3
% 14 years
2.6
0.0
0.0
3.3
% 15 years
5.3
4.2
15.9
1.1
% 16 years
0.0
4.2
4.5
12.0
% 17 years
13.2
9.5
18.2
13.0
% 18 years
13.2
13.7
18.2
6.5
% 19 years or older
28.9
18.9
15.9
31.5
Sexual Orientation
Relationship status
7.6
Length of current relationship
Age of sexual debut
36
Overview of Hypothesis Testing

Hypothesis testing was organized around identifying any significant
differences in the sexual behaviours between the following groups:
1. participants with a secure attachment style and participants with insecure
attachment styles;
2. participants with a secure attachment style and participants with an
insecure anxious-preoccupied attachment style;
insecure fearful-avoidant attachment style; and
insecure dismissive-avoidant attachment style.
Overview of Results
Attachment styles and sexual behaviours. The Kruskal-Wallis Test is
the non-parametric alternative to the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA)
(Pallant, 2001) and is used to generate a between-groups comparative analysis. It
was used in this study in order to evaluate the hypothesis that there would be a
statistically significant difference in sexual behaviours between secure and
insecure attachment styles, with insecurely attached participants predicted to score
higher on average on the variable of risky sexual behaviour.
Risky sex acts. Consistent with predictions, significant differences were
found. Participants with an Insecure Dismissive-Avoidant Attachment Style
37
scored the highest with regard to SRS Factor 2: Risky Sex Acts, X2 (3, N = 269) =
9.07, p = .03. Insecure Dismissive-Avoidant participants had an average rank of
151.84, while Secure participants had an average rank of 123.89. However, in
contrast to predictions, Insecure Anxious-Preoccupied participants had the lowest
average rank at 121.43.
Impulsive sexual behaviours. Consistent with predictions, significant
differences were found. Participants with an Insecure Fearful-Avoidant
Attachment Style scored the highest with regard to SRS Factor 3: Impulsive
Sexual Behaviours, X2 (3, N = 269) = 12.76, p = .005. Fearful-avoidant
participants had the highest average rank of 165.73, while Secure participants had
an average rank of 148.84. Interestingly, Insecure Anxious-Preoccupied
participants again had the lowest average rank at 118.65.
Risky anal sex acts. Consistent with predictions, significant differences
were found. Participants with an Insecure Fearful-Avoidant Attachment Style
were also found to significantly score the highest with regard to SRS Factor 5:
Risky Anal Sex Acts, X2 (3, N = 269) = 18.81, p < .001. Insecure FearfulAvoidant participants had the highest average rank of 161.74, while Secure
participants had an average rank of 135.45. Once again, Anxious-Preoccupied
participants had the lowest average rank at 123.71.
Table VIII depicts the results of the Kruskal-Wallis Test for differences in
sexual behaviours between participants with different attachment styles.
38
Table VIII
Kruskal-Wallis Test: Attachment Styles and Sexual Behaviours
Chi-Square
Df
Asymp. Sig.
SRS
SRS
SRS
SRS
SRS
Factor 1
Factor 2
Factor 3
Factor 4
Factor 5
2.674
9.074
12.760
7.502
18.806
.445
.028
.005
.058
.000
As a follow up test to the Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U Tests were

conducted. The Mann-Whitney Test is the non-parametric alternative to the
independent-samples t-test. It was used to determine which of the attachment
styles was significantly different from the other (Pallant, 2001).
Secure vs. insecure dismissive-avoidant attachment style. A MannWhitney U Test was performed to evaluate the hypothesis that participants with
an Insecure Dismissive-Avoidant Attachment Style would score higher on
average on the variable of risky sexual behaviour than participants with a Secure
Attachment Style.
Consistent with predictions, the results of the test were in the expected
direction and significant. Specifically, participants with a Dismissive-Avoidant
Attachment Style were found to have a higher score with regard to SRS Factor 2:
Risky Sex Acts, z = -1.97, p = .05, r = .1.
39
However, in contrast to predictions, the Mann-Whitney U Test revealed

that participants with a Secure Attachment Style scored significantly higher than
participants with an Insecure Dismissive-Avoidant Attachment Style with regard
to SRS Factor 4: Intent to Engage in Risky Sexual Behaviours, z = -1.98, p = .05,
r = .1.
Table IX depicts the results of the Mann-Whitney U Test for the
differences between participants with a Secure Attachment Style and participants
with an Insecure Dismissive-Avoidant Attachment Style with regard to sexual
behaviours.
Table IX
Mann-Whitney Test: Secure vs. Dismissive-Avoidant Attachment Styles
SRS
SRS
SRS
SRS
SRS
Factor 1
Factor 2
Factor 3
Factor 4
Factor 5
Mann-Whitney U
1704.000
1427.500
1559.500
1580.000
1776.000
Wilcoxon W
6264.000
2168.500
6119.500
6140.000
6336.000
-.596
-1.973
-1.241
-1.984
-.238
.551
.048
.215
.047
.812
Z
Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed)
40
Secure vs. insecure fearful-avoidant attachment style. A MannWhitney U Test was performed to evaluate the hypothesis that participants with
an Insecure Fearful-Avoidant Attachment Style would score higher on average on
the variable of risky sexual behaviours than participants with a Secure Attachment
Style.
Consistent with predictions, the results of the test were in the expected
direction and significant. Specifically, participants with a Fearful-Avoidant
Attachment Style were found to have a higher score with regard to SRS Factor 5:
Risky Anal Sex Acts, z = -2.08, p = .04, r = .1.
Table X depicts the results of the Mann-Whitney U Test for the
differences between participants with a Secure Attachment Style and participants
with an Insecure Fearful-Avoidant Attachment Style with regard to sexual
behaviours.
Table X
Mann-Whitney U Test: Secure vs. Insecure Fearful-avoidant Attachment Styles
Mann-Whitney U
Wilcoxon W
Z
SRS
SRS
SRS
SRS
SRS
Factor 1
Factor 2
Factor 3
Factor 4
Factor 5
782.500
758.500
747.000
781.000
665.000
1523.500
1499.500
1488.000
1771.000
1406.000
-.563
-.773
-.833
-.781
-2.084
.574
.440
.405
.435
.037
41
Secure vs. insecure anxious-preoccupied attachment style. A MannWhitney U Test was performed to evaluate the hypothesis that participants with
an Insecure Anxious-Preoccupied Attachment Style would score higher on
average on the variable of risky sexual behaviour than participants with a Secure
Attachment Style.
Contrary to predictions, the results of the test were significant, but not in
the expected direction. Specifically, participants with a Secure Attachment Style
were found to have a higher score with regard to SRS Factor 3: Impulsive Sexual
Behaviours than participants with an Insecure Anxious-Preoccupied Attachment
Style, z = -1.95, p = .05, r = .1. Table XI depicts the results of the Mann-Whitney
U Test for the differences between participants with secure attachment styles and
insecure anxious-preoccupied attachment styles with regard to sexual behaviours.
Table XI
Mann-Whitney U Test: Secure vs. Insecure Anxious-preoccupied Attachment
Styles
SRS
SRS
SRS
SRS
SRS
Factor 1
Factor 2
Factor 3
Factor 4
Factor 5
Mann-Whitney U
1643.000
1715.000
1378.500
1711.000
1589.000
Wilcoxon W
5921.000
5993.000
5656.500
2452.000
5867.000
-.650
-.186
-1.948
-.264
-1.623
.516
.853
.051
.792
.105
Z
42
Chapter 5
Discussion
The present study examined the relationship between attachment styles
and sexual behaviours and asked questions about the differences in sexual
behaviours between individuals with secure and insecure attachment styles. In
this regard, it was hypothesized that:
H1. participants with insecure attachment styles would engage in more risky
sexual behaviours than participants with a secure attachment style;
H2. participants with an Insecure Anxious-Preoccupied Attachment Style
would engage in more risky sexual behaviours than participants with a
Secure Attachment Style;
H3. participants with an Insecure Fearful-Avoidant Attachment Style would
engage in more risky sexual behaviours than participants with a Secure
Attachment Style; and
H4. participants with an Insecure Dismissive-Avoidant Attachment Style would
engage in more risky sexual behaviours than participants with a Secure
Attachment Style.
The results outlined in Chapter 4 suggest that the following conclusions
can be made about the study sample. Consistent with predictions, participants
with insecure attachment styles, specifically participants with an Insecure FearfulAvoidant and an Insecure Dismissive-Avoidant Attachment Style engaged in
more risky sexual behaviours than participants with a Secure Attachment Style.
In this regard, significant differences in behaviours were found for SRS Factor 2:
43
Risky Sex Acts, SRS Factor 3: Impulsive Sexual Behaviours and SRS Factor 5:
Risky Anal Sex Acts.
Both styles of attachment are rooted in avoidance which involves limiting
emotional, if not sexual, intimacy with others. Dismissive-avoidant individuals
tend to avoid close relationships because they see others as clingy, needy and
dependent (Holmes and Johnson, 2009, p. 835). Fearful-avoidant individuals
also tend to avoid emotionally intimate relationships, but their concern is rooted
in fear of rejection and in distrust of others.
On the other hand, contrary to predictions, evidence did not suggest that
participants with an Insecure Anxious-Preoccupied Attachment Style engaged in
more risky sexual behaviours than participants with a Secure Attachment Style.
Rather, significant differences were found for SRS Factor 3: Impulsive Sexual
Behaviours, with a higher mean assigned to participants with a Secure Attachment
Style.
The safer sexual behaviours of participants with an Insecure AnxiousPreoccupied Attachment Style may be explained by their risk-adverse nature.
Anxious-preoccupied individuals worry about abandonment and rejection
(Holmes and Johnson, 2009, p. 835) and do not feel sufficiently confident to take
chances and explore new environments (McLeod, 2008). Thus, their early
experiences with rejecting primary caregivers may have taught them to avoid
risky environments such as unsafe sexual situations. An overview of the four
attachment styles is depicted in Figure III.
44
Figure III
Four-category model of adult attachment (Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991)
Internal working model of self (dependence)
Positive
Negative
(low dependence)
(high dependence)
Secure
Preoccupied
Comfortable with
Preoccupied with
intimacy and
relationships, high
autonomy
emotional reactivity
Dismissing
Fearful
Negative
Dismissive of
Afraid of intimacy
(high
attachment; counter-
and rejection;
dependent
believes self to be
Positive
Internal
(low
working
avoidance)
model of
others
(avoidance)
avoidance)
worthy of rejection;
high emotional
reactivity
Retrieved from: http://apt.rcpsych.org/content/12/6/440/F1.large.jpg
The focus of this study was to explore the relationship between adult
attachment styles and sexual behaviours in order to provide information that could
be used in the development of therapeutic interventions and psychoeducational
sessions for individuals and groups struggling with risky sexual behaviour.
Recommendations in this regard are outlined in Chapter 6.
45
Chapter 6
Limitations and Recommendations
Limitations
The present study presents a number of limitations. Most of the
participants were female university students and the small study sample of male
participants indicates a high risk of making Type II errors. Additionally, the
present research was based on self-report and retrospective data and is therefore
limited by its reporting of mainly subjective assessments.
Through the review of literature and the research, it is evident that
understanding all the biopsychosocial factors that influence risky sexual
behaviour, such as attachment styles, is a challenging task. In order to strengthen
the generalizability of the findings, future studies should collect data from
substantially wider and larger samples of both male and female participants.
Additionally, researchers interested in exploring the relationship between
attachment style and risky sexual behaviour should consider the conduct of
longitudinal studies. Such research would add value to the development of
appropriate therapeutic interventions for individuals and groups struggling with
risky sexual behaviour.
46
Recommendations
Therapeutic Interventions. Research indicates that mental health
professionals working with clients seeking to address risky sexual behaviour
should explore the possible impact of attachment-related issues and, where
appropriate, tailor the intervention based on the clients attachment style. In this
regard, a 2009 study on the relationship between attachment style and risk taking
recommended that mental health professionals working with clients seeking to
address risk taking behaviour should consider whether modification can be made
in attachment styles (Morsunbul, 2009, p. 238).
Bowlby (1988) believed that individuals can change their attachment style
and that therapists can play a significant role in this process by providing a safe
and secure base for the client to explore their issues and change negative internal
working models. He emphasized the importance of paying attention to the quality
of the therapeutic relationship and of being present with the client, that is,
empathic, responsive and attentive. Bowlby held that:
the therapeutic relationship should reflect the attachment relationship and
reported that the role of the counsellor was to be the substitute attachment
figure for the client. Thus, the counsellor provides the secure base needed
in order for the client to process his or her current psychological
functioning (Meyer, 2011, p. 4).
Researchers, such as Wylie and Turner, support this perspective and

indicate that therapists should provide an empathic, safe and dependable presence
in which clients can safely grow up and address their attachment-related issues.
Moreover, they hold that the recreation of a positive attachment experience with a
47
therapist can counter the clients negative relationship with an early caregiver
through what they referred to as emotional attunement the ability to
empathize and respond appropriately to the clients verbal and non-verbal cues in
a way that communicates to the client that he or she is understood and accepted.
Meyer (2011) posits that the ability to learn a new attachment pattern is
possible because of the process of neuroplasticity, or the ability for the brain to
rewire or reorganize itself (p. 1) in response to new environmental stimuli such
as a healthy therapeutic relationship.
Meyer (2011) goes on to explain that an important task of the counsellor
is to form an attachment with the client that establishes a secure attachment and
from which the client could use this relationship as a secure basis for other
relationships (p. 2). In this regard, it is therefore critical that the therapist
understands his or her own attachment style and seeks help to treat with any
possible attachment-related issues that may impair the development of a healthy
therapeutic relationship with the client.
In summary, the results of the study indicate that mental health
professionals working with clients seeking to address risky sexual behaviour
should explore the possible impact of attachment-related issues and, where
appropriate, tailor the interventions based on the clients attachment style. In this
regard, therapists should pay attention to establishing a secure space in which
clients can feel safe to engage in healthy self-reflection, to be more accepting of
themselves and to develop more positive internal working models of themselves
and others which are required to engage in more healthy behaviour.
48
Psychoeducational workshops. Unsafe sexual behaviour continues to be

a major public health issue for countries such as Trinidad and Tobago. Clinical
psychologists can contribute to treating with this issue by developing and
delivering psychoeducational workshops designed to raise awareness of the
underlying interpersonal and affective motives influencing risky sexual behaviour
(Ciesla et al., 2004).
A preventive approach should also be taken in communities by organizing
psychoeducational workshops for parents and other primary caregivers to help
raise awareness of the impact of attachment on development and the parenting
styles recommended for raising securely attached children.
49
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Appendix B
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Attachment Styles and Risky Sexual Behaviour Preliminary Research

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Running Head: ATTACHMENT STYLES AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS

CLSY 6802 Research Paper

AN EXAMINATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN

Department of Clinical Medical Sciences

An Examination of the Relationship between Attachment Styles and

I thank my supervisor, Professor Gerard Hutchinson, for his understanding

I appreciate the encouragement provided by members of the Academic

My thanks to Dr. Jessica Turchik for her willingness to provide

This paper is dedicated to my father, Clyde Gabriel Dumas, in honour of his

Adult attachment styles.. 10

Internal working model.. 11

Four-category model of adult attachment..

Demographic profile of the sample...

SRS recoding value specifications

Factor loadings: ECR-R..

Rotated component matrix for the SRS.

Convergent validity: correlations between the SRS factors and other

Concurrent validity: correlations between the SRS factors and other

Profile of respondents grouped by attachment styles

Kruskal-Wallis test: attachment styles and sexual behaviours.

Mann-Whitney test: secure vs. dismissive-avoidant attachment style

Mann-Whitney test: secure vs. insecure fearful-avoidant attachment

Mann-Whitney test: secure vs. insecure anxious-preoccupied

ATTACHMENT STYLES AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS

ATTACHMENT STYLES AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS

ATTACHMENT STYLES AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS

ATTACHMENT STYLES AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS

Risky Sexual Behaviour

ATTACHMENT STYLES AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS

Ciesla, Roberts and Hewitt (2004) proposed that attachment theory

Ainsworths famous experiment, The Strange Situation, provided

empirical evidence for Bowlbys theory. The experiment essentially involved

ATTACHMENT STYLES AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS

ATTACHMENT STYLES AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS

Other children adopt an avoidant style of behaviour in that they are

ATTACHMENT STYLES AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS

ATTACHMENT STYLES AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS

ATTACHMENT STYLES AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS

Bartholomew and Horowitz (1991) subsequently added a fourth adult

Retrieved from http://internal.psychology.illinois.edu/~rcfraley/attachment.htm

ATTACHMENT STYLES AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS

The four adult attachment styles identified by Bartholomew and Horowitz

Retrieved from: http://birthblissdoulaservices.blogspot.com/2011/09/attachmenttheory-and-childrens-social.html

Secure and insecure dismissive-avoidant attachment styles are both based

ATTACHMENT STYLES AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS

Secure attachment style. An individual considered to fit the secure

ATTACHMENT STYLES AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS

well-being, a tendency to idealize other people, and incoherence and exaggerated

ATTACHMENT STYLES AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS

It is therefore conceivable that persons with insecure attachment styles,

Does risky sexual behaviour differ according to attachment styles?

Does risky sexual behaviour differ between individuals with a secure

In this regard, it was hypothesized that:

ATTACHMENT STYLES AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS

H4. individuals with an insecure dismissive-avoidant attachment style would

The research method utilized in testing these hypotheses is outlined in Chapter 3.

ATTACHMENT STYLES AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS

ATTACHMENT STYLES AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS

Highest level of educational attainment

% Some level of Tertiary education (no degree)

ATTACHMENT STYLES AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS

Current relationship status

% Single, with steady partner

Length of Current Relationship