Attachment Style

Attachment style describes your characteristic patterns of connecting, trusting, and responding to closeness in relationships, shaped by early experiences and later relationships.

Definition

Attachment theory describes how people relate in close relationships, often summarized as secure, anxious, avoidant, or disorganized patterns. These styles influence intimacy, conflict, and emotional needs. Styles can shift over time and with experience. The ECR-R measures attachment-related anxiety and avoidance.

What it can feel like

  • Feeling secure and comfortable with closeness.
  • Worrying about rejection or abandonment (anxious).
  • Valuing independence and avoiding closeness (avoidant).
  • Wanting closeness but fearing it at the same time.

Related glossary terms

الأسئلة الشائعة

Can attachment style change?

Yes. While early experiences shape attachment, styles can evolve through relationships, self-awareness, and therapy.

What does the ECR-R measure?

The ECR-R measures two dimensions of adult attachment: attachment-related anxiety and attachment-related avoidance.

Sources

  • Fraley RC, et al. Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised (ECR-R)
  • Bowlby J, Ainsworth M. Attachment theory

Last reviewed: 2026-07-02. Screening tools on LuriaLab are for education only and do not provide a diagnosis.