ATTACHMENT STYLE AND HETEROSEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS AMONG YOUNG-ADULTS - A SHORT-TERM PANEL STUDY

We investigated whether the relationship advantages reported for indiv iduals with a secure attachment style persisted over a 4-month time pe riod. The temporal stability of two self-report measures of attachment style was also investigated. 'Secures' reported consistent levels of relationship satisfaction, relationship costs, relationship commitment , trust for their partners. 'Insecures' (i.e. avoidants and anxious/am bivalents) reported decreasing levels of satisfaction, commitment and trust along with increasing relationship costs. Insecurely attached in dividuals from ended relationships characterized their relationships m ore negatively than insecures from intact relationships. Both self-rep ort measures of attachment style were characterized by considerable sh ort-term temporal stability.