Brief Description

This questionnaire is a short version of the “Experiences in Close Relationships – Revised” (ECR-R) and evaluates adult attachment style across two key dimensions: anxious attachment and avoidant attachment. It consists of 30 statements that refer to individuals’ thoughts, emotions, and behaviors within significant interpersonal relationships.

Purpose

The purpose of the questionnaire is to assess the degree of emotional dependence or detachment a person exhibits toward others, in order to identify their tendencies—either singular or combined—regarding closeness, trust, and fear of rejection in close relationships. The tool can be used in both research and clinical settings.

Scoring Method

Participants respond to each statement using a 7-point Likert scale, where 1 corresponds to “Not at all true” and 7 to “Completely true.” The first 15 items pertain to anxious attachment, while the remaining 15 assess avoidant attachment. Mean scores are calculated separately for each group. Higher scores in each factor indicate greater intensity of the corresponding attachment style.

Validity

The validity of the tool has been confirmed through factor analysis and correlations with other attachment measures. It has been widely used in research, demonstrating strong associations with indicators of mental health, interpersonal functioning, and self-image. The factor structure of the ECR-R is stable and reproducible across different cultural versions.

Reliability

The internal consistency of the questionnaire is high, with Cronbach’s alpha at 0.91 for anxious attachment and 0.94 for avoidant attachment. These values confirm the tool’s reliability and stability.

Data Analysis and Application

Data can be analyzed either dimensionally, using the mean scores for each dimension, or categorically, classifying individuals into one of four attachment profiles: secure, anxious, avoidant, and anxious-avoidant. Results can be used in research to study relationship quality, mental health, or intervention outcomes, as well as in clinical assessments to guide therapeutic planning.

References

Brennan, K. A., Clark, C. L., & Shaver, P. R. (1998). Self-report measurement of adult romantic attachment: An integrative overview. In J. A. Simpson & W. S. Rholes (Eds.), Attachment theory and close relationships (pp. 46–76). New York: Guilford Press.
Fraley, R. C., Waller, N. G., & Brennan, K. A. (2000). An item response theory analysis of self‐report measures of adult attachment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78(2), 350–365.
Mallinckrodt, B. (2000). Attachment, social competencies, social support, and interpersonal process in psychotherapy. Psychotherapy Research, 10(3), 239–266.