Attachment security and available support: Closely linked relationship qualities

Perceived security of attachment to mother, father, same-sex peers, and opp osite-sex peers, and perceived available support from members of the indivi dual network of relationships were related to each other both cross-section ally and longitudinally in a four-wave longitudinal study of 171 students. Security of attachment and available support were closely linked within par ticular relationships such as the relationship to mother, and modestly link ed for categories of relationships such as same-sex peers; their consistenc y across relationships was much lower. Furthermore, longitudinal changes in attachment and support were correlated within relationships, but not betwe en relationships. Thus, perceptions of attachment security and support avai lability reflected the fluctuating quality of the relationships. Consequenc es for research on attachment and support are discussed.