The Role of Early Childhood Attachment Styles in Predicting Emotional Regulation and Coping mechanisms among Young Adults

Abstract

This study explores the predictive role of early childhood attachment styles in shaping emotional regulation and coping mechanisms among young adults aged 19 to 25. Rooted in Bowlby’s Attachment Theory, the research investigates how dimensions of attachment, specifically anxiety and avoidance, relate to strategies of emotion regulation (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression) and coping (problem-focused, emotion- focused, and avoidant). Using a quantitative, correlational design, data were collected from 150 participants through validated tools: the Experiences in Close Relationships–Revised (ECR- R), the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), and the Brief COPE inventory. Statistical analyses revealed that attachment anxiety significantly predicts greater use of both cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression, while attachment avoidance positively predicts expressive suppression but negatively predicts cognitive reappraisal. Moreover, attachment anxiety was associated with increased reliance on emotion-focused and avoidant coping strategies, whereas neither attachment dimension significantly predicted problem-focused coping. The findings underscore that insecure attachment styles, particularly anxious attachment, are linked to less adaptive emotional regulation and coping patterns in emerging adulthood. This highlights the lasting impact of early relational experiences on psychological functioning and stress management. The study contributes to a growing body of literature emphasizing the role of attachment in emotional development and has important implications for early interventions and mental health support programs.