Attachment, Identity Processing Style, and Emotion Regulation Among Emerging Adults

This study explores the relationships among parent, peer, and romantic attachment, identity processing style, and emotion regulation. Previous studies have revealed potential associations among each of the aforementioned factors (e.g., between identity and attachment as well as between attachment and emotion regulation), but this is the first study to examine the three factors together, putting emphasis on romantic attachment. It was predicted that attachment will vary depending on the interaction between identity processing style and emotion regulation. College students (N= 390) in psychology courses participated in an anonymous online survey for course credit. Parent attachment was significantly predicted by age, gender, cognitive reappraisal, the diffuse-avoidant identity style, and the normative identity style; peer attachment was significantly predicted by expressive suppression, the diffuse-avoidant identity style, and the informational identity style. Regarding romantic attachment, attachment-anxiety was significantly predicted by the diffuse-avoidant identity style and attachment-avoidance was significantly predicted by age and expressive suppression. Additional analyses and their theoretical implications are further discussed