5 SCALES IN SEARCH OF A CONSTRUCT - EXPLORING CONTINUED ATTACHMENT TOPARENTS IN COLLEGE-STUDENTS

The multitude of measures and differences across self-report indices o f continued parental attachment raise questions regarding the validity and meaning of these scales. The purpose of this study was to examine the convergent and construct validity of 5 measures of continued pare ntal attachment. Five attachment scales and 6 personality scales were administered to 216 undergraduate students. Factor analyses and correl ational analyses indicate that the 5 attachment measures differentiate healthy from pathological bonding with parents, the construct being a ssessed has multiple dimensions, and scores on these attachment measur es are correlated with personality variables as would be expected. The se attachment scales appear to assess a construct that is related to a ttachment, although they may be more illustrative of the general affec tive quality of relationships. Subsequent assessment efforts should em ploy more specific ratings and measure concrete behavioral manifestati ons of attachment to most effectively examine the construct.