Description

The Attachment to God Inventory (AGI) is a psychometric tool designed to assess the nature and quality of an individual’s relationship with God. Based on attachment theory, the AGI examines how people perceive God as an attachment figure, similar to human attachment relationships. The questionnaire includes a series of statements that assess two key dimensions of attachment: attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance toward God.

Purpose

The primary aim of the AGI is to provide a valid and reliable means for evaluating individuals’ religious attachments. This tool helps to understand how perceptions and emotional relationships with God can affect a person’s religious and psychological well-being. Information gathered through the AGI can be used for research, therapy, and the development of interventions that promote spiritual and mental health.

Analysis

The analysis of data collected through the AGI involves the use of statistical methods to evaluate the tool’s reliability and validity. Factor analysis is used to confirm the structure of the tool, while reliability analysis (e.g., Cronbach’s alpha) ensures the internal consistency of the items. Additionally, correlations between the dimensions of attachment to God and other psychological or religious variables can be explored to enhance understanding of these relationships.

Calibration

The AGI is calibrated using a Likert scale, with participants rating each statement from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). Item scores are summed to calculate total scores for attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance. Higher scores on these dimensions indicate greater anxiety or avoidance in one’s attachment to God, respectively.

References

Beck, R., & McDonald, A. (2004). Attachment to God: The Attachment to God Inventory, Tests of Working Model Correspondence, and an Exploration of Faith Group Differences. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 32(2), 92–103.
Rowatt, W. C., & Kirkpatrick, L. A. (2002). Two dimensions of attachment to God and their relation to affect, religiosity, and personality constructs. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 41(4), 637–651.
Granqvist, P., & Kirkpatrick, L. A. (2004). Religious conversion and perceived childhood attachment: A meta-analysis. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 14(4), 223–250.
Kirkpatrick, L. A., & Shaver, P. R. (1992). An attachment-theoretical approach to romantic love and religious belief. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 18(3), 266–275.
Exline, J. J., Yali, A. M., & Sanderson, W. C. (2000). Guilt, discord, and alienation: The role of religious strain in depression and suicidality. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 56(12), 1481–1496.