The Relationship between Attachment Styles and Student Interpersonal Problems: The Role of Mediating Emotional Intelligence

Among the factors that negatively affect students' interpersonal relationships are interpersonal problems. Therefore, it is important to identify the factors that can prevent these problems. The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between attachment styles and interpersonal problems due to the mediating role of emotional intelligence.

The present study is a descriptive-correlation and structural equation modeling model. The study population consisted of female students residing in the dormitory of Bou Ali Sina University, who were studying in the academic year 2016-17. The sample of this study included 200 female students who were selected through available sampling. For data collection, three questionnaires of interpersonal problems of Herwitz et al. 1988 (IIP-60), Collins and Reed 1990 Adult Attachment Style (RAAS) and Sharing Emotional Intelligence (1996) were used to analyze the data by statistical software SPSS 22 and LISREL 8.5 were used.

The results of correlation coefficient showed that safe attachment style was inversely significant (p<0.05) and ambivalent attachment style predicted directly and significantly (p<0.05) the interpersonal problems. But the relationship between avoidant attachment style and in-personality problems was not significant and the role of mediator of emotional intelligence in the relationship between attachment styles and interpersonal problems was confirmed. Investigating the causal relationships between the variables showed that the research data are fitted with conceptual model (X2/df=4.133, GFI=0.90, CFI=0.97, NFI=0.95, RMSEA=0.025).

One of the important factors in reducing interpersonal problems, along with other factors, is probably having a secure attachment style and emotional intelligence. People with a secure attachment style are more successful in setting up, monitoring, evaluating and expressing their excitement. And high emotional intelligence probably reduces interpersonal problems.