2016 Volume 25 Issue 3 Pages 191-205
The relation between adult attachment styles and conscious parental images has received little study, although attachment theory is based on parent–child relationships. The present exploratory study examines the relation between attachment styles and the components and structures of the parental image. A modified version of The Twenty Statement Test and the Japanese version of the Relationship Questionnaire were used as the measures of parental image and attachment styles respectively. Data from 283 graduate and undergraduate students were analyzed by text mining. The results indicated that individuals with secure attachment styles tended to have social and positive parental images. Individuals with dismissive-avoidant attachment styles tended to have parental images from the relationship with themselves. Individuals with anxious-preoccupied and fearful-avoidant attachment styles tended to have parental images from the good relationship with themselves and a negative parental image, and both parental images were similar. The parental images associated with each attachment style are discussed.