PSYCHOLOGY MASTER'S THESIS ABSTRACT

John F. Huon
MA-Research
August 2000

Attachment Style as a Predictor of Sense of Coherence

    The relationships between attachment styles and Sense of Coherence (SOC) were examined.  SOC is the extent that someone comprehends events that affect them and finds them to be manageable and meaningful.  According to the salutogenic model, Sense of Coherence is shaped by early childhood experiences. Similarly, attachment styles are thought to develop from a child’s early experience with their caregiver.  These attachment styles have been related to differences in personality and coping strategies.  One hundred forty two subjects filled out questionnaires assessing attachment style, SOC, demographics, life events and trait neuroticism.  The results showed that a significant negative correlation exists between the measures of attachment style and SOC.  Furthermore, the relationship continued to be significant even after life events and neuroticism was partialed out.  These results support the assertion that attachment related experience help to shape SOC.  It also indicates that SOC is more than just another measure of neuroticism.  Directions for future research are proposed.

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