Analysis of Attachment Styles and Relationship Dynamics in Early Adulthood: Implications for the Need for Premarital Counseling
Premarital counseling is increasingly recognized as important in Indonesia, yet the influence of attachment styles and relationship conditions on counseling needs among young adults is not well understood. This study examined the distribution of attachment styles, relationship conditions, and demographics, and their effect on the perceived need for premarital counseling. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 480 young adults aged 18–40 using self-report questionnaires, and rare-event penalized logistic regression accounted for the highly unbalanced outcome. Results showed moderate levels of secure, disorganized, anxious, and avoidant attachment, with secure attachment slightly more common. Almost all participants (99.4%) reported needing premarital counseling. Regression analysis indicated that higher secure attachment scores were positively associated with counseling needs (OR = 1.82). Most participants were single, without children, and reported neutral to positive relationship conditions. These findings suggest young adults recognize the value of premarital counseling for emotional preparation and relational skill development, highlighting the need for interventions tailored to individual attachment profiles. Counseling programs should be culturally sensitive, adaptable, and attachment-informed, emphasizing communication, conflict resolution, and self-reflection to support long-term relationship satisfaction. Future research should adopt longitudinal and mixed-method approaches to better understand motivations and counseling needs.
Downloads
Alipour, Z., Kazemi, A., Kheirabadi, G., & Eslami, A.-A. (2020). Marital communication skills training to promote marital satisfaction and psychological health during pregnancy: A couple focused approach. Reproductive Health, 17(1), 23. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-020-0877-4
Aryani, E., Pasaribu, S. M., & Gusdian, P. M. (2025). The Role of Family Counseling in Handling Economic Problems and Family Harmony. ProGCuns: Journal of Professionals in Guidance and Counseling, 6(1), 51–59. https://doi.org/10.21831/progcouns.v6i1.71878
Asadpour, E., Sharei, A., & Salmani, A. (2025). Premarital intervention based on attachment and differentiation improves communication and conflict management in Iranian couples. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 29151. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-15051-3
Asai, S. G., & Olsno, D. H. (2004). CULTURALLY SENSITIVE ADAPTATION OF PREPARE WITH JAPANESE PREMARITAL COUPLES. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 30(4), 411–426. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-0606.2004.tb01252.x
Bar-Kalifa, E., Bar-Kalifa, L., Rafaeli, E., George-Levi, S., & Vilchinsky, N. (2016). Relational entitlement moderates the associations between support matching and perceived partner responsiveness. Journal of Research in Personality, 65, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2016.08.009
Birni̇, G., & Eryilmaz, A. (2022). Enhancing Well-being of the Married: Investigating Marital Satisfaction, Self-Compassion and Happiness Increasing Strategies. Türk Psikolojik Danışma ve Rehberlik Dergisi, 12(67), 650–669. https://doi.org/10.17066/tpdrd.12061408
Brock, R. L., & Lawrence, E. (2009). Too much of a good thing: Underprovision versus overprovision of partner support. Journal of Family Psychology, 23(2), 181–192. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015402
Dell’Isola, R., Durtschi, J., Topham, G., & Gimarc, C. (2021). A New Approach to Marriage Preparation: The Attachment-Differentiation Premarital Model. Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy, 20(2), 149–173. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332691.2020.1829522
Dimas, A. P., Siswanti, D. N., & Ansar, W. (2023). Hubungan Kelekatan Orang Dewasa Dengan Regulasi Emosi Pada Masa Dewasa Awal. PESHUM : Jurnal Pendidikan, Sosial Dan Humaniora, 2(6), 1133–1140. https://doi.org/10.56799/peshum.v2i6.2388
Doss, B. D., Knopp, K., Roddy, M. K., Rothman, K., Hatch, S. G., & Rhoades, G. K. (2020). Online programs improve relationship functioning for distressed low-income couples: Results from a nationwide randomized controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 88(4), 283–294. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000479
Dush, C. M. K., & Amato, P. R. (2005). Consequences of relationship status and quality for subjective well-being. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 22(5), 607–627. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407505056438
Fathi, E., Daneshpour, M., & Hatami Varzaneh, A. (2021). The Effectiveness of Preparation for Marriage Education with PREP in Iran. Marriage & Family Review, 57(4), 312–328. https://doi.org/10.1080/01494929.2020.1861164
Fitriana, T. S., & Fitria, N. (2016). Validation Of Attachment Styles Questionnaire In Indonesian Culture. International Conference on Health and Well-Being (ICHWB). https://publikasiilmiah.ums.ac.id/bitstream/handle/11617/7380/8%20-%20Titi%20Sahidah%20Fitriana.pdf?isAllowed=y&sequence=1
Gherashiran, Z. G., Sanaeizaker, B., Kiamanesh, A., & Zahrakar, K. (2022). The role of marriage attitude and emotional maturity in predicting marriage instability in women and men. The Journal Of Psychological Science, 21(116), 1581–1598. https://doi.org/10.52547/JPS.21.116.1581
Guerrero, L. K., Farinelli, L., & McEwan. (2009). Communication Patterns Questionnaire [Instrument]. EMDR Therapy Volusia. https://www.emdrtherapyvolusia.com
Hoenicka, M. A. K., López-de-la-Nieta, O., Martínez Rubio, J. L., Shinohara, K., Neoh, M. J. Y., Dimitriou, D., Esposito, G., & Iandolo, G. (2022). Parental bonding in retrospect and adult attachment style: A comparative study between Spanish, Italian and Japanese cultures. PLOS ONE, 17(12), e0278185. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0278185
Konradus, N., Hadjam, M. N. R., Harsanti, I., & Tarigan, A. (2024). Secure attachment Dan Kualitas Pernikahan Pada Individu Menikah: Sebuah Meta-Analisis. Journal Psikogenesis, 11(2), 77–89. https://doi.org/10.24854/jps.v11i2.3488
Kvitkovičová, L., Umemura, T., & Macek, P. (2017). Roles of attachment relationships in emerging adults’ career decision-making process: A two-year longitudinal research design. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 101, 119–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2017.05.006
Lailiyah, K. N., Hakim, R. N., Mukti, G. A., & Mubaroka, K. U. (2025). Kesiapan Mental Ibu Muda Dari Pernikahan Usia Dewasa Awal Di Kota Surabaya. JKKP (Jurnal Kesejahteraan Keluarga Dan Pendidikan), 12(1), 72–82. https://doi.org/10.21009/JKKP.121.07
Lehmann, V., Tuinman, M. A., Braeken, J., Vingerhoets, Ad. J. J. M., Sanderman, R., & Hagedoorn, M. (2015). Satisfaction with Relationship Status: Development of a New Scale and the Role in Predicting Well-Being. Journal of Happiness Studies, 16(1), 169–184. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-014-9503-x
Lindawati, R. D. (2019). Hubungan Karakteristik, Pengetahuan dan Keterampilan Hidup (Life Skill) Remaja tentang Perilaku Berpacaran. Jurnal Ilmu Kesehatan Masyarakat, 5(1), 24–29. https://doi.org/10.33221/jikm.v5i1.311
Margolese, S. K., Markiewicz, D., & Doyle, A. B. (2005). Attachment to Parents, Best Friend, and Romantic Partner: Predicting Different Pathways to Depression in Adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 34(6), 637–650. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-005-8952-2
Masudah, H. Z., & Yoenanto, N. H. (2023). Penyesuaian Perkawinan Pada Periode Awal Pernikahan Pasangan Yang Menikah Melalui Proses Taaruf. Jurnal Ilmu Psikologi Dan Kesehatan (SIKONTAN), 2(1), 87–96. https://doi.org/10.47353/sikontan.v2i1.1145
Mulyani, A., & Sari, Y. (2024). Kesejahteraan Psikologis Wanita Lajang di indonesia. Bandung Conference Series: Psychology Science, 4(1), 702–710. https://doi.org/10.29313/bcsps.v4i1.12459
Mund, M., Jeronimus, B. F., & Neyer, F. J. (2018). Personality and Social Relationships. In Personality and Disease (pp. 153–183). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-805300-3.00009-8
Musetti, A., Manari, T., Billieux, J., Starcevic, V., & Schimmenti, A. (2022). Problematic social networking sites use and attachment: A systematic review. Computers in Human Behavior, 131, 107199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2022.107199
Nejatian, M., Alami, A., Momeniyan, V., Delshad Noghabi, A., & Jafari, A. (2021). Investigating the status of marital burnout and related factors in married women referred to health centers. BMC Women’s Health, 21(1), 25. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-021-01172-0
Nindyasari, Y., & Herawati, T. (2019). Kematangan Emosi, Interaksi Keluarga dan Kepuasan Pernikahan pada Keluarga Menikah Dini. Journal of Family Sciences, 3(2), 16–29. https://doi.org/10.29244/jfs.3.2.16-29
Omi-Ujuanbi, G. O., & Osumah, O. A. (2024). Attitude Towards Pre-Marital Counselling Among Undergraduate Studentsof Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State. Jurnal Penelitian Dan Pengembangan Sains Dan Humaniora, 8(3), 413–420. https://doi.org/10.23887/jppsh.v8i3.87095
Osman, H. T., Baraia, Z. A. A., & Abdelati, *Inaam Hassan. (2021). Awareness and attitude of university students regarding premarital counseling and examination. Trends in Nursing and Health Care Journal, 2(2), 18–43. https://doi.org/10.21608/tnhcj.2021.247526
Parhizgar, O., Esmaelzadeh-Saeieh, S., Akbari Kamrani, M., Rahimzadeh, M., & Tehranizadeh, M. (2017). Effect of Premarital Counseling on Marital Satisfaction. Shiraz E-Medical Journal, 18(5). https://doi.org/10.5812/semj.44693
Powell, E. M., Frankel, L. A., Umemura, T., & Hazen, N. (2017). The relationship between adult attachment orientation and child self-regulation in eating: The mediating role of persuasive-controlling feeding practices. Eating Behaviors, 26, 121–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2017.02.006
Pramantari, A. C. G., & Soetjiningsih, C. H. (2023). Secure Attachment Dan Kualitas Hubungan Berpacaran Pada Dewasa Awal Yang Menjalani LDR. Jurnal Cakrawala Ilmiah, 2(5), 1845–1856. https://doi.org/10.53625/jcijurnalcakrawalailmiah.v2i5.4602
Romano, V., Fitzpatrick, M., & Janzen, J. (2008). The secure-base hypothesis: Global attachment, attachment to counselor, and session exploration in psychotherapy. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 55(4), 495–504. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0013721
Saefudin, D. P., Wulandari, W., & Wahjuningtijas, R. (2025). Exploring the Role of Parent–Child Emotional Bonding and Verbal Interaction in Early Speaking Development. SALEE: Study of Applied Linguistics and English Education, 6(2), 513–524. https://doi.org/10.35961/salee.v6i2.2093
Spies, R., & Duschinsky, R. (2021). Inheriting Mary Ainsworth and the Strange Situation: Questions of Legacy, Authority, and Methodology for Contemporary Developmental Attachment Researchers. Sage Open, 11(3), 21582440211047577. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440211047577
Umemura, T., Lacinová, L., & Macek, P. (2015). Is Emerging Adults’ Attachment Preference for the Romantic Partner Transferred From Their Attachment Preferences for Their Mother, Father, and Friends? Emerging Adulthood, 3(3), 179–193. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167696814561767
Umemura, T., Siroňová, A., Lacinová, L., Taniguchi, E., & Imai, T. (2021). Are one’s attachment avoidance toward a particular person and his/her placement of this particular person in the attachment hierarchy inversely overlapping? Four bifactor-analysis studies. PLOS ONE, 16(1), e0244278. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0244278
Van Der Horst, F. C. P., Van Rosmalen, L., & Van Der Veer, R. (2024). The American contribution to attachment theory: John Bowlby’s WHO trip to the USA in 1950 and the development of his ideas on separation and attachment. Attachment & Human Development, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616734.2024.2342665
Walker, D., Sepulveda, S. J., Hoff, E., Rowe, M. L., Schwartz, I. S., Dale, P. S., Peterson, C. A., Diamond, K., Goldin-Meadow, S., Levine, S. C., Wasik, B. H., Horm, D. M., & Bigelow, K. M. (2020). Language intervention research in early childhood care and education: A systematic survey of the literature. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 50, 68–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2019.02.010
Weidmann, R., Ledermann, T., & Grob, A. (2017). Big Five traits and relationship satisfaction: The mediating role of self-esteem. Journal of Research in Personality, 69, 102–109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2016.06.001
Widodo, R. W., & Manara, M. U. (2024). Effectiveness of Premarital Counseling in Indonesia: Literature Review. KONSELI : Jurnal Bimbingan Dan Konseling (E-Journal), 11(1), 77–86. https://doi.org/10.24042/kons.v11i1.19196
Yenita, S. (2022). Gambaran Psychological Well Being pada Dewasa Awal Yang Berstatus Janda di Kenagarian Air Bangis. Ranah Research : Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development, 4(2), 150–155. https://doi.org/10.38035/rrj.v4i2.451
Yudha, I. W., Hastuti, R., & Jessica, J. (2024). Pengaruh Kualitas Attachment Remaja Dengan Orang Tua Terhadap Perilaku Phubbing Pada Keluarga Di Kalimantan Barat. PAEDAGOGY : Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan Dan Psikologi, 4(4), 342–351. https://doi.org/10.51878/paedagogy.v4i4.3797

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
![]() | ProGCouns: Professional Guidance and Counseling Journal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. |







