Attachment Style May Influence the Risk of Unhealthy Relationship Dependency, Study Suggests
A person's attachment style, together with their ability to think flexibly and regulate emotions, may influence their risk of developing an unhealthy dependency on a romantic partner, according to new research. A study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships suggests that early relationship patterns may continue to shape romantic experiences well into adulthood. The study, titled "The Pathway From Attachment Styles to Addiction in Romantic Relationships: The Mediating Roles of Psychological Flexibility and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation," adds to growing evidence that the ways people learn to relate to caregivers in childhood may influence how they cope with intimacy, emotional distress, and closeness later in life.
Psychologists describe attachment styles as internal models that develop through early interactions with caregivers. These patterns help shape expectations, emotional responses, and coping strategies within close relationships. Although attachment styles do not determine relationship outcomes, they can influence how people experience intimacy and respond to emotional challenges.
How Attachment Styles Develop
Secure attachment typically develops when caregivers are consistently responsive, supportive, and emotionally available. People with a secure attachment style generally feel comfortable with both emotional closeness and independence. They tend to trust others more easily and are often better able to balance vulnerability with healthy personal boundaries.
Anxious attachment is thought to develop when caregiving is inconsistent or unpredictable. Individuals with this attachment style may experience a persistent fear of abandonment, heightened emotional sensitivity, and a strong need for reassurance. As a result, relationships may feel emotionally intense but also marked by uncertainty and worry about losing a partner.
Avoidant attachment is commonly associated with emotionally distant or rejecting caregiving. People with this pattern often become highly self-reliant and may minimize their emotional needs. They frequently find vulnerability uncomfortable and may prefer emotional distance over dependence or intimacy.
When Romantic Love Becomes Dependency
While romantic passion is a normal part of many relationships, some individuals develop what researchers describe as romantic relationship addiction. This pattern involves an obsessive focus on a partner, significant distress during separation, and persistent efforts to maintain the relationship despite negative consequences.
The study's authors, Berfin Seven of Sinop University and Osman Hatun of Marmara University, describe this pattern as a rigid drive for closeness that may lead to unhealthy boundary violations. According to the researchers, the relationship gradually becomes a primary way of coping with emotional distress rather than a source of mutual support and personal growth.
The researchers focused on two psychological processes that might help explain how attachment styles contribute to relationship addiction.
The first was psychological flexibility—the ability to remain open to uncomfortable thoughts and emotions while continuing to act in accordance with one's values. Greater psychological flexibility is generally associated with healthier responses to conflict, uncertainty, and emotional discomfort.
The second was emotion regulation, which refers to the ability to recognize, understand, and manage emotional experiences. Individuals who struggle with emotion regulation may become overwhelmed by distress and rely more heavily on others to restore emotional balance.
Inside the Turkish Study
To investigate these relationships, the researchers surveyed 522 adults in Türkiye, where both individualistic and collectivist cultural influences shape interpersonal relationships. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 55 years, with an average age of approximately 29, and all were currently involved in a romantic relationship.
Approximately two-thirds of participants reported being in a dating relationship, while the remaining one-third were married. The sample included 359 women and 163 men from a range of educational backgrounds who were recruited through social media and online communities.
Participants completed several standardized psychological questionnaires measuring attachment style, psychological flexibility within romantic relationships, difficulties with emotion regulation, and symptoms associated with romantic relationship addiction, including excessive devotion and distress during separation.
The researchers then used statistical path analysis to examine whether attachment styles influenced relationship addiction indirectly through psychological flexibility and emotion regulation rather than through a simple direct relationship.
Secure and Anxious Attachment Followed Different Paths
The results showed that secure attachment was associated with greater psychological flexibility. Participants with secure attachment appeared better able to tolerate relationship-related discomfort, such as disagreements or uncertainty, without responding impulsively or attempting to control their partner.
Higher psychological flexibility was, in turn, associated with fewer difficulties regulating emotions. Individuals who adapted more effectively to emotional challenges were less likely to become excessively dependent on their romantic partner.
Through this pathway, secure attachment was indirectly associated with a lower likelihood of romantic relationship addiction. According to the researchers, these individuals appeared better able to manage emotional distress independently while maintaining healthy relationship functioning.
The opposite pattern emerged among participants with anxious attachment. Individuals with higher levels of attachment anxiety generally showed lower psychological flexibility, making it more difficult to cope with fears of rejection or abandonment without reacting rigidly.
Reduced flexibility was also associated with greater difficulties regulating emotions. Together, these factors appeared to increase vulnerability to dependency-driven behaviors within romantic relationships.
Why Avoidant Attachment Showed Different Results
Interestingly, the researchers did not observe a significant direct association between avoidant attachment and romantic relationship addiction. Although avoidant attachment is considered an insecure attachment style, it appeared to influence relationships differently from anxious attachment.
The authors suggest that individuals with avoidant attachment may be less likely to develop compulsive dependency because they generally prefer emotional distance and place greater emphasis on self-reliance. Their tendency to suppress emotional needs may reduce the likelihood of becoming excessively attached to a romantic partner.
However, the researchers emphasize that this does not mean avoidant attachment is psychologically healthier. People with avoidant attachment may still experience loneliness, relationship conflict, and reduced emotional intimacy, even if their difficulties are less likely to resemble relationship addiction.
Overall, the findings suggest that romantic relationship addiction is most strongly associated with anxious attachment combined with reduced psychological flexibility and greater difficulty regulating emotions. In these circumstances, a romantic partner may become an important source of emotional regulation rather than part of a balanced, mutually supportive relationship.
Implications for Therapy and Prevention
The researchers emphasize that romantic relationship addiction differs from healthy romantic love. While strong emotional attachment is common in close relationships, healthy relationships continue to allow for personal independence, mutual respect, and emotional flexibility. By contrast, addiction-like patterns involve loss of control, persistence despite harm, and significant interference with daily functioning.
The study found that secure and anxious attachment, together with psychological flexibility and emotion regulation, explained approximately one-quarter of the variation in romantic relationship addiction. According to the authors, this suggests that although attachment patterns are important, modifiable psychological skills also contribute substantially.
Unlike attachment style, which tends to remain relatively stable throughout adulthood, psychological flexibility and emotion regulation can be strengthened through psychological interventions. Therapies such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy aim to improve psychological flexibility by helping individuals respond more effectively to difficult thoughts and emotions while remaining guided by their personal values.
Emotion regulation training may also help people better identify emotions, reframe distressing thoughts, and develop healthier coping strategies. Strengthening these skills could reduce reliance on romantic partners as the primary means of managing emotional distress.
The researchers also note that conducting the study in Türkiye expands understanding of these psychological processes beyond predominantly Western populations. Nevertheless, they acknowledge several limitations. The research relied on self-report questionnaires collected at a single point in time, meaning it cannot establish cause-and-effect relationships. In addition, the predominantly female volunteer sample may not fully represent the general population.
Future research is expected to follow couples over longer periods and include information from both partners. The authors also hope to develop attachment-informed interventions that strengthen psychological flexibility and emotion regulation, with the goal of reducing unhealthy relationship dependency in both clinical and community settings.
Article prepared by Victoria Caldwell.
