TROUBLESOME RELATIONSHIPS - A PART OF HUMAN-EXPERIENCE

In a study of troublesome relationships, 343 university students and e mployees were surveyed. Issues addressed were the frequency, nature an d precursors of negative relationship experiences. Over half of the re spondents (55.7%) reported a very troublesome relationship within the previous 5 years. These were most often close relationships that deter iorated markedly as a result of the experience. Negative relationship involvement was related to insecure styles of attachment. Those with a n insecure-avoidant attachment style were also more prone to use alcoh ol or drugs to cope with the troubled relationship and they were more likely to end the relationship. The results support the view that a hi story of poor attachment relations may compromise later relationships. However, the attachment effects were modest and the pervasiveness of troublesome relationship encounters suggests that these are an ubiquit ous part of the human experience.