Zelakiewicz, Lani (2008) Dispositional Forgiveness and Attachment Style as Predictors of Romantic Lonliness. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
This study investigated the contributions of attachment and dispositional forgiveness in the prediction of romantic loneliness. A convenience sample of 146 Australian residents (50 male, 93 female, 3 gender not specified), aged between 18 and 66, completed the paper-based Interpersonal Relationships Questionnaire (IRQ). Specific measures contained in the IRQ examined adult attachment style, dispositional forgiveness, and romantic loneliness. The Relationship Questionnaire (RQ; Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991) was used to identify the level of four adult attachment styles of participants; secure, dismissing, preoccupied, and fearful. The Heartland Forgiveness Scale (HFS; Thompson et al., 2005) assessed levels of the three components of dispositional forgiveness; forgiveness of self, others, and situations. The romantic subscale of the short version of the Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale for Adults (SELSA-S; DiTommaso, Brannen, & Best, 2004) was used to quantify the current romantic loneliness of participants. Analysis revealed significant positive correlations between both fearful and preoccupied attachment styles, and reported romantic loneliness. Security of attachment was found to be correlated with dispositional forgiveness, with respondents scoring higher in secure attachment also reporting higher dispositional forgiveness of self, others, and situations. Of the three components of dispositional forgiveness, only forgiveness of situations demonstrated a significant negative relationship with romantic loneliness. Hierarchical multiple regression controlled first for relationship status, which was found to significantly predict romantic loneliness. However, of all the attachment and forgiveness variables, only preoccupied attachment emerged as a unique contributor in the prediction of romantic loneliness.
The practical implications of this study for clinical practitioners include an improved understanding of the effect of adult attachment when considering romantic loneliness. Specific counselling interventions are suggested which may assist preoccupied individuals to improve the quality of their interpersonal relationships, thereby reducing the likelihood of romantic loneliness. Future research which incorporates measures of both trait and state forgiveness is suggested, to expand understanding of the role forgiveness plays in the context of the romantic relationship.
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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: | Historic - Faculty of Sciences - Department of Psychology (Up to 30 Jun 2013) |
| Supervisors: | Nola Passmore |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 13 Nov 2025 00:22 |
| Last Modified: | 13 Nov 2025 00:22 |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52904 |
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