Iranian Adaptation of the Revised Adult Attachment Scale: Validity and Reliability in the General Population

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Student in Psychology, Education and Psychology Faculty, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Education and Psychology Faculty, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.

3 MSc in Clinical Family Psychology, Family Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.

4 Assistant Professor, Education and Psychology Faculty, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Aim: The Revised Adult Attachment Scale (RAAS) is a well-established self-report measure designed for research purposes. Despite its extensive use in Iranian populations, the current study aimed to evaluate the factor structure, convergent validity, and reliability of RAAS in Iranian community adults.
 
Method: A sample of 605 participants (354 females, 251 males) was randomly divided into two samples (n1 = 303, n2 = 302) for factor analytic purposes. Alongside RAAS, measures of mentalizing capacity, emotion dysregulation, and borderline personality disorder were administered. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were applied to assess the factor structures proposed for its original version.
 
Results: Overall, factor analyses suggested the two-factor structure (anxiety and avoidance) to be a better fit for the data. Due to weak factor loadings, six items were removed, resulting in a 12-item scale. Additionally, anxiety and avoidance demonstrated significant correlations with attachment-related instruments (p< .001), and their internal consistencies were deemed acceptable (α=.83 and .76, respectively).
 
Conclusion: Our findings support the Iranian adaptation of RAAS in the general population, aligning with previous theoretical underpinnings.

Keywords


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