Exploring the Associations between Adult Attachment Security and Self-actualization and Self-transcendence

Insecure attachment styles—avoidance and anxiety—are linked to lower levels of self-actualization and personal growth. A survey of 130 undergraduates found that attachment avoidance predicted less self-transcendence, while both avoidance and anxiety predicted lower self-actualization and actualization of potential. Low self-liking partly explained the link between attachment anxiety and reduced self-actualization, and low self-liking and self-competence partly explained the link between attachment avoidance and reduced self-actualization. Self-competence also mediated the relationship between attachment anxiety and actualization of potential. The findings suggest that attachment theory and Maslow's hierarchy of needs can be integrated to understand personality development.

Study at a glance

Abstract

There are parallels between attachment needs (Bowlby, 1969/1982) and the love- and esteem-needs Maslow (1943) identified in his theory of self-actualization, which later included the other-oriented concept of self-transcendence (Koltko-Rivera, 2006). Our aim was to integrate these two theories of personality. A survey of undergraduates (N = 130) showed that attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety predicted low levels of self-actualization and actualization of potential. Attachment avoidance predicted low self-transcendence. Low self-liking partially mediated the relationship between attachment anxiety and low self-actualization, and low self-liking and self-competence partially mediated the relationship between attachment avoidance and low self-actualization. Furthermore, self-competence mediated the relationship between attachment anxiety and actualization of potential. Theoretical implications are discussed.