ATTACHMENT, SOLITUDE, PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTR ESS IN YOUNG-ADULTS

The aim of this study was to investigate the nature of relationships b etween attachment style, loneliness and psychological distress. The sa mple consisted of 407 college students (average age = 18 years) who co mpleted two measures of attachment, the UCLA Loneliness Scale, and the Psychiatric Symptoms Index. Results revealed that individuals who rep orted a secure attachment style obtained lower scores of loneliness an d psychological distress (depression, anxiety, aggressiveness, and cog nitive problems) than the anxious/ambivalent subjects. They also repor ted less symptoms of depression than avoidant individuals. Subjects in the anxious/ambivalent style were more depressed, anxious, and aggres sive compared to avoidant subjects. However, no significant difference appeared between anxious/ambivalent and avoidant subjects on cognitiv e problems and loneliness. Furthermore, anxious/ambivalent subjects de scribed themselves as more depressive, anxious, and aggressive than av oidant subjects. Multiple regression analyses showed that loneliness p layed a moderator function in the relationship between insecure attach ment index and cognitive problems, whereas it played a mediator functi on in the association between secure attachment, depression, and anxie ty.