Interrelationship Tendencies: Exploring Attachment Styles and Friendship Quality in Boys and Girls

Abstract

The following study claims to understand the nuances of attachment style, friendship quality and their relational differences in boys and girls. The potential relation between how our attachment styles actually shape the peer relationships that we make later in life in boys and girls have been explored in the study. The significant difference between boys and girls in the context of friendship quality and attachment styles have also been explored. The sample size of 148 people, between the age of 22 to 36, were taken out of which females and males were of the equal number. The scales used in the study were Cambridge Friendship Questionnaire and Adult Attachment Scale. Correlation and T-test were conducted on the variables. The study showed a significant difference between boys and girls in their friendship quality (t(146) = -3.928, p < .001). The differences in the attachment style subscales were also significant for Anxiety (t(146) = 5.233, p < .001) but not so significant for Close (t(146) = .741, p = .460) and Depend (t(146) = -1.431, p = .154). The relationships between attachment styles and friendship quality were significant at all three subscale levels for females but for males only the Anxiety subscale and friendship quality did not have a significant correlation (r(72) = .117, p = .322). The results reflected the validity and reliability of the theoretical frameworks. Literature reviews helped in forming the numerous implications of the results and the possible scope of further studies.