Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2025
06:04
Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study in Psychological Counseling
Published on: January 17, 2025
488
Insecure attachment and support-seeking during COVID-19: a sequential mixed methods investigation
Rachel R R Francois-Walcott1, Rhia E Perks2, Laura M Vowels3
1School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
Attachment & Human Development
|May 5, 2024
Summary
During COVID-19, relationship support-seeking varied. Attachment styles and worry influenced how partners sought help, revealing unique pandemic relationship dynamics.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Health Behavior
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic confined couples, increasing reliance on partners for support.
- Social distancing limited external support networks, intensifying the focus on intra-couple dynamics.
- Understanding relationship support-seeking during this period is crucial for relationship science.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how romantic partners sought support from each other during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- To explore the influence of attachment styles and pandemic-related worry on support-seeking behaviors.
- To identify distinct patterns and themes in relationship support-seeking under pandemic conditions.
Main Methods:
- A sequential mixed-methods design was employed, integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches.
- Qualitative phase: Semi-structured interviews (n=48) explored themes like direct/indirect support-seeking, independence, and gender dynamics.
- Quantitative phase: A survey (n=588) assessed COVID-19 worry, attachment anxiety/avoidance, and support-seeking frequency.
Main Results:
- Qualitative findings revealed diverse support-seeking strategies and influencing factors, including attachment.
- Quantitative analysis linked higher COVID-19 worry, attachment anxiety, and lower avoidance to increased support-seeking.
- A notable interaction showed high attachment avoidance was associated with more support-seeking when COVID-19 worry was high.
Conclusions:
- The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted how individuals seek support within romantic relationships.
- Attachment styles and heightened worry are key predictors of relationship support-seeking behaviors during crises.
- Findings offer unique insights into relationship resilience and adaptation during unprecedented global events.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Attachment
62
Attachment is vital for infant development, as warm social interactions support growth and well-being. In a classic 1958 study by Harry Harlow, the significance of warmth and comfort in forming attachments was examined. Harlow separated newborn monkeys from their mothers and provided two artificial "mothers": one made of cold wire and the other covered in soft cloth. Despite the wire mother offering food, the infant monkeys preferred the comfort of the cloth mother, demonstrating that...
62
03:34Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood
43.4K
Attachment is a long-standing connection or bond with others. While Attachment Theory was conceived in developmental psychology to describe infant-caregiver bonding, it's been extended into adulthood to include romantic relationships.
43.4K
02:30Naturalistic Observations
15.4K
If you want to understand how behavior occurs, one of the best ways to gain information is to simply observe the behavior in its natural context. However, people might change their behavior in unexpected ways if they know they are being observed. How do researchers obtain accurate information when people tend to hide their natural behavior? As an example, imagine that your professor asks everyone in your class to raise their hand if they always wash their hands after using the restroom. Chances...
15.4K
01:13Psychology as a Science
694
Psychology, as a scientific discipline, aims to understand the mind and behavior through rigorous and systematic methods. The foundation of psychological research is evidence-based, relying heavily on the scientific method to derive and validate knowledge. This structured approach ensures that findings are reliable, valid, and applicable to broader contexts.
The scientific method in psychology involves six critical steps: making observations, formulating hypotheses, conducting tests, analyzing...
The scientific method in psychology involves six critical steps: making observations, formulating hypotheses, conducting tests, analyzing...
694
02:20Longitudinal Research
12.0K
Sometimes we want to see how people change over time, as in studies of human development and lifespan. When we test the same group of individuals repeatedly over an extended period of time, we are conducting longitudinal research. Longitudinal research is a research design in which data-gathering is administered repeatedly over an extended period of time. For example, we may survey a group of individuals about their dietary habits at age 20, retest them a decade later at age 30, and then again...
12.0K
01:18Steps in Outbreak Investigation
124
In the ever-evolving field of public health, statistical analysis serves as a cornerstone for understanding and managing disease outbreaks. By leveraging various statistical tools, health professionals can predict potential outbreaks, analyze ongoing situations, and devise effective responses to mitigate impact. For that to happen, there are a few possible stages of the analysis:
124