Experience in Close Relationships and Anxiety Levels among College Students: A Correlational Study

Abstract

The present study examined the relationship between anxiety levels and experiences in romantic relationships among university students. Grounded in attachment theory, the research explored how patterns of attachment—particularly anxious and avoidant tendencies—may influence emotional responses and psychological well-being during the university years. Young adulthood is a developmental stage where individuals form meaningful interpersonal relationships while simultaneously facing academic demands and life transitions, which may contribute to emotional stress and anxiety. A survey method was employed with a sample of 150 university students who participated voluntarily. Standardized self-report measures were used for assessment and evaluation. The Experiences in Close Relationships (ECR) scale was used to measure attachment patterns, specifically anxious and avoidant attachment tendencies in close relationships, while the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) was used to assess participants’ levels of anxiety. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was applied to analyze the relationship between attachment styles and anxiety levels. The findings revealed that participants demonstrated moderately elevated anxiety scores along with tendencies toward both anxious and avoidant attachment styles. However, the correlation analysis indicated very weak relationships between attachment dimensions and anxiety, and these associations were not statistically significant. These results suggest that attachment experiences in romantic relationships may not strongly predict anxiety among university students. Instead, other factors such as academic pressure, career concerns, and personal life transitions may contribute more significantly to anxiety during this developmental stage. The study highlights the importance of considering broader psychological and environmental influences when understanding student mental health.

Introduction

1. Background

• College students experience major psychological, social, and academic transitions during late adolescence and early adulthood.

• These transitions often lead to emotional stress and anxiety, influenced by academic pressure, social changes, and the challenge of forming meaningful relationships.

• Attachment theory (Bowlby, 1969; Hazan & Shaver, 1987) explains how early caregiver relationships shape adult expectations of closeness:

  • Attachment anxiety: fear of rejection, need for reassurance.

  • Attachment avoidance: discomfort with emotional closeness, preference for independence.

• Insecure attachment has been linked to greater psychological distress and difficulty coping with stress.

2. Rationale

• While prior research links insecure attachment to anxiety, most studies focus on Western populations or only one dimension of attachment.

• Limited research exists on non-clinical, diverse college student populations.

• This study aims to examine the relationship between both attachment dimensions (anxious and avoidant) and anxiety levels using:

  • ECR scale: Measures attachment anxiety and avoidance.

  • Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI): Measures cognitive and physical symptoms of anxiety.

3. Literature Review

• Attachment Styles:

  • Bartholomew (1990) described four adult attachment styles: secure, dismissing, preoccupied, fearful.

  • Attachment styles remain stable and affect romantic relationships and emotional well-being (Kirkpatrick & Hazan, 1994).

  • Studies link insecure attachment to higher anxiety, depression, and lower relationship quality.

• Anxiety in Young Adults:

  • College students experience social anxiety, fear of intimacy, and relationship-related stress.

  • Relationship conflicts and poor relationship quality exacerbate anxiety.

• Attachment-Anxiety Relationship:

  • Insecure attachment (anxious and avoidant) is generally associated with higher social anxiety.

  • Multiple studies indicate anxious attachment predicts fear of rejection, while avoidant attachment is linked to discomfort with closeness.

  • Emotional regulation and resilience can mediate these effects.

4. Methodology

• Design: Quantitative correlational study.

• Sample: 150 college students (voluntary participation).

• Instruments:

  • ECR scale: Measures attachment anxiety and avoidance.

  • BAI: Measures anxiety levels.

• Analysis: Pearson correlation to examine relationships between attachment styles and anxiety.

5. Results

• Descriptive statistics:

  • Mean anxiety: 44.29 (SD = 15.19)

  • Mean avoidant attachment: 3.09 (SD = 1.06)

  • Mean anxious attachment: 3.61 (SD = 1.34)

• Correlation findings:

  • Avoidant attachment vs. anxiety: r = −0.048, p = .559 (very weak, non-significant)

  • Anxious attachment vs. anxiety: r = 0.052, p = .530 (very weak, non-significant)

• Interpretation: Neither attachment style significantly predicts anxiety among college students in this sample.

Conclusion

The present study aimed to examine the relationship between experiences in intimate relationships and anxiety levels in college students. The study specifically examined the relationship between avoidant and anxious attachment styles and anxiety. The results revealed very low and insignificant correlations between both attachment styles and anxiety. The results indicated that attachment styles were poor predictors of anxiety. According to attachment theory, individuals who experience an insecure attachment style tend to experience high levels of anxiety. The results of the study do not strongly support the assumption that attachment style is related to anxiety in college students. The results suggest that anxiety in this period of life can be explained by factors such as academic challenges, examination stress, future career concerns, peer group influences, and the process of adapting to independent life. The development of coping strategies and social support networks can help students cope with emotional difficulties regardless of attachment style. The results of the study emphasize that anxiety in college students is a complex phenomenon that can be explained by many factors.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Shivangi Roy, Dr. Shivali Sharma. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.