​Exploring Attachment Styles, Psychological Distress, and Loneliness among Indian Young Adults: A Moderation-Based Survey Approach

Keywords: Attachment Styles; Loneliness; Psychological Distress; Moderation

Abstract: The present study investigated the moderating effects of attachment styles on the relationship between psychological distress and loneliness in young adults from Delhi, India. Participants (N=151) aged 18-24 years, completed the UCLA 3-Item Loneliness Scale, the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), and the Relationships Questionnaire (RQ). Moderation analysis was carried out using SPSS PROCESS macro. The overall regression model was found to be significant, and a significant negative association was observed between psychological distress and loneliness. Significant differences in loneliness were observed between preoccupied and secure attachment styles, and fearful and secure attachment styles, with securely attached individuals reporting the highest levels of loneliness. Conversely, differences in loneliness between dismissing and secure attachment styles were nonsignificant. Moreover, the impact of psychological distress on loneliness did not significantly vary among those with different attachment styles. Thus, attachment styles were not found to significantly moderate the relationship between psychological distress and loneliness. The present study highlights the experiences of loneliness among securely attached individuals as well as a negative correlation between psychological distress and loneliness. It prompts important questions for future investigation, including the role of age, personality traits, coping mechanisms, and resilience in relation to attachment styles, psychological distress, and loneliness.