CORRECTION

CUESTIONARIO DE APEGO ADULTO

(Melero, R. and Cantero, M.J., 2008)

CORRECTION TEMPLATE

SCALE 1 SCALE 2 SCALE 3 SCALE 4

Emotional self-
Low self-esteem, need Hostile conflict Expression of feelings
sufficiency and
for approval and fear of resolution, resentment and comfort with
discomfort with
rejection and possessiveness relationships
intimacy.

3 2 1 6
8 4 5 15
10 7 11inv 19
12 9 16 22
14 13 27 25inv
18 17 32 28
21inv 20 35inv 33
23 24 38 TOTAL
26 29 40
30 31 TOTAL
34 36
37 TOTAL
39
TOTAL

PROFILE OF THE EVALUATED SUBJECT

Percentile
Direct scoring Percentile rating

Scale 1: Low self-esteem, need for

approval and fear of rejection.

Scale 2: Hostile conflict resolution,

rancor, and possessiveness.

Scale 3: Expression of feelings and

comfort with relationships.

Scale 4: Emotional self-sufficiency

and discomfort with intimacy

DIAGNOSIS_________________________________________________
How to perform the categorical diagnosis of attachment based on the scores obtained in the 4 scales?

1. Obtain the direct score for each scale by summing the score given by the subject on each of the
items of the scale.
Note: it is necessary to invert the rating scale in the inverse items (use correction template).

2. Consult the scales and convert the direct score to percentile (see table 1).

3. Obtain the subject's profile from the percentile scores associated with each scale.

4. Compare the subject's profile with the 4 prototypical profiles (see Table 2). The diagnosis of the
subject will be the one that best fits the 4 prototypical profiles shown in Table 2.

Remark: The interpretation of the profiles in Table 2 is done by columns (hostile fearful profile,
worried profile, confident profile, and distant profile) NOT by rows (i.e., it is not diagnosed by
what is obtained on each scale separately). It is important to assess with clinical judgment and not
only focus on the exact correspondence with the assessment of the 4 prototypes.

Specifically, to facilitate the diagnosis, it is important to pay attention to the dimensions that are
most characteristic or defining of each of the prototypes (see shaded table 2). Thus, for example,

a. The distant shirker stands out for combining high self-esteem (scale 1 should score low
or moderate/low) and high self-sufficiency (scale 4 should score high or
moderate/high).
b. For the diagnosis of fearful shyness, priority will be given to scale 4 (which should be
moderate/high or high) and scale 1, which should be high (subjects with very low self-
esteem and high need for approval).
c. The diagnosis of preoccupied is based on the combination of high or moderately high
scores on scale 1 (low self-esteem, need for approval and fear of rejection) and high or
moderately high scores on scale 3 (expressiveness and comfort with relationships).
Scale 4 should not be moderate/high or high.
d. Finally, a person with high self-esteem (low score on scale 1), high expression of
emotions and comfort with relationships (high or moderate high score on scale3), low
self-sufficiency (scale 4) and low hostility (scale 2) will be diagnosed as secure.

The hostility factor, although it appears as prototypical of the hostile fearful, could be
characteristic of the rest of the insecure styles, especially of the worried subject.

In the case of non-adjustment, a diagnosis of marginal security or unclassifiable insecurity will be

chosen.
 Table 1: Scales and descriptive statistics of the Adult Attachment Questionnaire.

PERCENTILES SCALE1 SCALE 2 SCALE 3 SCALE 4 EVALUATION

85-99 52-70 41-57 48-52 23-31 Very high

75-84 47-51 37-40 46-47 21-23 High

61-74 43-46 33-36 43-45 18-20 Mod/ High

40-60 37-42 28-32 40-42 16-17 Moderate

25-39 33-36 24-27 37-39 14-15 Bass/Mod

16-24 29-32 22-23 34-36 13 Under

1-15 16-28 13-21 21-33 8-12 Very Low

M 39,79 30.45 40,07 17,13
SD 11,1 9,3 6,8 5,3
MIN 15 11 14 7
MAX 77 63 54 34
Note: Scale 1: Low self-esteem, need for approval and fear of rejection. Scale 2: Hostile conflict resolution, resentment and
possessiveness. Scale 3: Expression of feelings and comfort with relationships. Scale 4: Emotional self-sufficiency and discomfort
with intimacy.

Table 2: Analysis by adult attachment typologies

CLASSIFICATION INTO CATEGORIES OF ADULT ATTACHMENT

FEARFUL RUNAWAY
CONCERNED INSURANCE
HOSTIL ALEJADO
Scale 1: Low Self-Esteem, need for VERY HIGH ALTO VERY LOW BASS/MOD.
approval and fear of rejection 52 49.15 28.94 35.73
Scale 2: Hostile conflict resolution, VERY HIGH MODERATE UNDER MODERATE
resentment and possessiveness 44.73 28.17 22.34 32.70
Scale 3: Expression of feelings and UNDER MOD/HIGH ALTO BASS/MOD.
comfort with relationships 35.51 40.40 44.13 38.29
Scale 4: Emotional self-sufficiency and MOD/HIGH MODERATE UNDER ALTO
discomfort with privacy 18.41 17.97 13.99 18.73

Remarks: The assessment of the average scores of the four-cluster analysis has been carried out attending
to both the scales and a qualitative/theoretical interpretation of the profiles.

REFERENCE

Melero, R. and Cantero, Mª J. (2008). Affective styles in the Spanish population: an adult attachment assessment
questionnaire. Clinical and Health, 19 (1), 83-100.