Human Ecology Research

The Korean Home Economics Association (대한가정학회)
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The Effect of Adult Attachment on the Fear of Intimacy: The Mediating Effect of Self-differentiation and Self-esteem

성인애착과 친밀감에 대한 두려움 간의 관계: 자아분화와 자아 존중감의 매개효과

  • Han, Hyerim (Busan Women and Family Development Institution) ;
  • Lee, Jimin (Department of Human Service, Yeungnam University)
  • 한혜림 (부산여성가족개발원) ;
  • 이지민 (영남대학교 휴먼서비스학과)
  • Received : 2022.07.06
  • Accepted : 2022.08.23
  • Published : 2022.08.30
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Abstract

This study analyzed the relationship between adult attachment, self-differentiation, and self-esteem in solving the fear of intimacy in interpersonal relationships experienced by adults. This study targeted people in the 20s to 50s age group, and data from 1,263 participants were analyzed using SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 23.0. The results are as follows. First, it was found that secure attachment had a negative relationship with the fear of intimacy, while the relationship between self-differentiation and self-esteem was positive. On the other hand, anxiety attachment and avoidance attachment were shown to have a positive relationship with the fear of intimacy, but a negative relationship was identified with self-differentiation and self-esteem. Second, it became evident that self-differentiation and self-esteem mediated the relationship between adult attachment and the fear of intimacy. Additionally, the findings indicated that self-differentiation and self-esteem had a dual mediating effect. The results of this study can be used as basic data for counseling and educational programs to solve the fear of intimacy in interpersonal relationships experienced by adults.

Keywords

References

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