Hampton, Hugh A. (2024) Exploring Aloneness: How Behavioural Emotion Regulation Shapes Loneliness and Positive Solitude in Avoidantly Attached Adults. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
An avoidant attachment style, characterised by discomfort with emotional intimacy and difficulties trusting others, has been shown to be detrimental to well-being. Despite the desire for emotional distance, people with avoidant attachment are lonelier than the average population. Paradoxically, their desire for distance might also mean they experience greater positive solitude. This study sought to understand the relationship between avoidant attachment, loneliness and positive solitude, mediated through behavioural emotion regulation strategies (distracting, social support, approaching withdrawing, and ignoring behaviours). Participants (N = 273) completed an online survey. The study used a prospective-correlational design over two time-points and was conducted with demographic, attachment, and emotional regulation measured at Time 1 and loneliness and positive solitude 1-week later at Time 2. Path analysis was conducted in R to understand the relationships between variables. Increases in loneliness were predicted by higher avoidant attachment and higher withdrawing behaviours. Increases in positive solitude were predicted by higher approaching, higher withdrawing, lower distracting, and lower ignoring behaviours. These findings underscore the complex and paradoxical relationship between avoidant attachment, emotion regulation, loneliness, and positive solitude. Results suggest avoidant attachment has a complex relationship with loneliness and positive solitude that is partly mediated by emotional regulation strategies. This research highlights the potential for specific emotion regulation strategies to buffer the adverse effects of avoidant attachment, offering insights into interventions that may promote psychological well-being in individuals with avoidant attachment styles.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
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| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Current – Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology and Wellbeing (1 Jan 2022 -) |
| Supervisors: | Dr. Brown, Daniel |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Psychology) |
| Date Deposited: | 22 Jan 2026 00:28 |
| Last Modified: | 22 Jan 2026 00:28 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | avoidant attachment, loneliness, positive solitude, emotion regulation behaviours. |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1701 Psychology > 170106 Health, Clinical and Counselling Psychology |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5203 Clinical and health psychology > 520304 Health psychology |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/53090 |
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