Can I Trust You?

"Many of my posts focus on research studies that have examined how relationship quality is associated with health in LGBTQ+ couples. Although the facets of relationship quality assessed vary somewhat, most studies in some way evaluate how satisfied with, invested in, and/or committed to a relationship someone is. As such, relationship quality is inherently interpersonal. It is how someone thinks and feels about their association with someone else (i.e., their relationship partner)."

"But what about how people feel about themselves? Or their beliefs about how others feel about them? Consider how you might respond in conversation if someone were to ask you the following questions about your relationships in general: How easy is it for you to get close to or trust other people? How comfortable are you having someone rely on or trust you? How much do you worry about people leaving, letting you down, or disappointing you?"

"These kinds of questions are similar to those asked on measures of adult attachment style (Collins & Read, 1990; Fraley et al., 2000). Notice that the instructions are asking you to think about your relationships broadly (in general), not just one relationship with a specific person. The assumption is that your answers convey something about the way you think about yourself and other people."

Attachment anxiety involves worries about being unlovable, fears of abandonment, and a desire for closeness. Attachment avoidance involves concerns that others are inherently untrustworthy and unsafe. Attachment security is characterized by low anxiety and low avoidance. Relationship quality captures how satisfied, invested, and committed someone is to a partner and reflects interpersonal perceptions. Adult attachment measures ask people to consider relationships broadly, assessing ease of trust, comfort with reliance, and worries about abandonment. Answers convey internal models of self and others shaped by early interactions. Minority stress can contribute to developing attachment anxiety and avoidance, affecting relationship functioning and health in LGBTQ+ couples.

Read at Psychology Today