The Influence of Family Environment on Adult Attachment Style and Self-Concept Clarity in Young Adults

Abstract

The family serves as a primary social unit, encompassing individuals linked by biological ties, marriage, adoption, or close personal relationships, including extended, step, and chosen families. This study investigated how the family environment impacts adult attachment styles and self-concept clarity in young adults. Data was collected from 180 participants aged 18 to 25 using the Brief Family Relationship Scale, the Experiences in Close Relationships–Relationship Structures Questionnaire, and the Self-Concept Clarity Scale. The research was guided by three hypotheses: (1) there will be a significant difference in family environment across different adult attachment style in young adults, (2) there will be a significant relationship between family environment and self-concept clarity in young adults, and (3) there will be a significant difference in self-concept clarity across different adult attachment styles in young adults. Statistical analyses included the Kruskal-Wallis test, Mann-Whitney U test for post hoc comparison, and Spearman’s rank-order correlation. The findings showed significant variation in both family environment and self-concept clarity across attachment styles. However, no significant direct correlation was found between family environment and self-concept clarity. These results suggest that while family background and attachment styles are closely related, the family environment alone may not be a strong predictor of how clearly young adults perceive their self-concept. The findings underscore the role of attachment in shaping developmental outcomes, pointing toward the value of future longitudinal and culturally contextual research.