The Impact of Attachment Styles on Dependent Personality Traits and Substance Dependence (Smoking and Alcoholism) Among University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Adolescence and early adulthood is a very sensitive period for individuals going through it, especially evident in collectivistic societies like India. This period of life is full of new experiences like going to universities, looking for jobs and forming relationships with people around. Students in this period start building identity and forming personalities of their own in society, which often leads to maladaptive coping mechanisms like smoking and drinking. This study explores the impact of adult attachment styles- secure, anxious, and avoidant on dependent personality traits and substance dependence (smoking and alcoholism) among university students. Using a mixed-methods research design, the study integrates quantitative data collected from 300 participants through standardized psychometric tools with qualitative insights derived from semi-structured interviews from 15 participants. The quantitative findings revealed that higher levels of anxious and avoidant attachment were significantly linked with higher levels of dependent personality traits and substance dependence. In contrast, secure attachment emerged as a protective factor, negatively correlated with dependency traits and substance dependence. Regression analyses further indicated that attachment-related anxiety and avoidance significantly predicted substance dependence, highlighting the psychological underpinnings of these behaviors. Qualitative thematic analysis enriched these findings by highlighting lived experiences behind the numbers. Themes such as fear of abandonment, emotional dysregulation, detachment, and the use of substances as coping mechanisms emerged prominently. Participants with insecure attachment styles described feeling emotionally overwhelmed or disconnected, often turning to alcohol or nicotine as a means of coping with internal and relational stressors. This study underscores the importance of attachment theory in understanding personality development and behavioral health in emerging adults. The findings strongly support the integration of attachment-informed frameworks within university campus mental health services, emphasizing early intervention and emotional skill-building to lower the risk of dependency related disorders. In doing so, this research contributes to a growing body of literature aiming to humanize psychological distress by tracing it back to the quality of human relationships and emotional bonds.