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Attachment Style and Well-being in Elderly Adults: A Preliminary Investigation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Jeffrey Dean Webster
Jeffrey Dean Webster
Affiliation:
Langara College
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Abstract

This study examined the relationship between attachment styles and subjective well-being in late adulthood. Seventy-six elderly adults (mean age = 67.9 years) completed the Relationship Questionnaire (a measure of attachment styles), the MUNSH (a measure of subjective well-being) and ratings of perceived health and marital status. Results indicated that both health and attachment style produced significant main effects, but no interaction, on well-being. Specifically, healthy individuals were happier than unhealthy ones; participants with secure and dismissive attachment styles were significantly happier than those classified as fearful. The distribution of attachment style classification across secure, preoccupied, fearful, and dismissive styles showed differences compared to previous research with younger adults.

Résumé

L'étude examine la relation entre les styles d'attachement et le bien-être subjectif dans la fin de la vie d'adulte. Soixante-seize aînés âgés en moyenne de 67,9 ans ont rempli un questionnaire servant à mesurer les styles d'attachement (Relationship Questionnaire) et le MUNSH, un questionnaire servant à mesurer le bien-être subjectif, le tout ayant été évalué en fonction de L'état de santé perçu et de l'état civil. Les résultats indiquent que la santé et le style d'attachement ont des effets importants, sans réciprocité cependant, sur le bien-être. Plus précisément, les personnes en santé sont plus heureuses que celles qui sont en mauvaise santé; les personnes interrogées dont les styles d'attachement étaient solides et dégagés étaient remarquablement plus heureuses que celles qui vivaient des attachements empreints de peur. La répartition des styles d'attachement entre les catégories <solide, tendu, centré sur la peur et dégagé> présentait des différences par rapport aux recherches précédentes effectuées chez les jeunes adultes.

Keywords

Attachementvie d'adultebonheurmodèles de travail internessoiAttachmentAdulthoodHappinessInternal Working ModelsSelf
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 16 , Issue 1 , Printemps/Spring 1997 , pp. 101 - 111
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1997

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