Personality structure and attachment strategies in Lebanese University students

Abstract

One of many foci of researchers in the field of psychology has been the study of personality structure, which is organized in terms of personality traits. Researchers have linked personality structure, and personality traits, to the attachment system that individuals develop throughout their life. In Lebanon, however, there is a lack of information on the relationship between the individuals attachment strategy and his/her personality traits, since no studies have explored this relationship. The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between the individuals attachment strategy and their personality traits. The Arabic version of the NEO-FFI and the CaMir were used to measure the individuals personality traits and dominant attachment strategy, respectively. Through purposive and convenience sampling, 211 participants from different universities across Lebanon partook in this study. Results showed that Autonomous attachment strategy positively correlated with Extraversion and Conscientiousness, and negatively correlated with Neuroticism; the Preoccupied attachment strategy positively correlated with Extraversion, Conscientiousness, and Agreeableness; the Detached attachment strategy positively correlated with Neuroticism, and negatively correlated with Extraversion, Conscientiousness, and Agreeableness; the Disorganized attachment strategy positively correlated with Neuroticism, and negatively correlated with Agreeableness. None of the attachment strategies correlated with Openness. Interestingly, the Preoccupied attachment strategy demonstrated to have a more positive and secure connotation, rather than insecure, in the Lebanese population.