Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.5559/di.20.3.07
The Relationship between Erikson's Basic Personality Strengths, Emotional Competence and Intimacy toward Romantic Partners among Younger Adults
Sanja JOZIĆ
; Zagreb
Goran MILAS
orcid.org/0000-0002-7202-3338
; Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar, Zagreb
Boris MLAČIĆ
; Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar, Zagreb
Abstract
In this study, in which 296 undergraduate students participated,
we examined the role of stage resolution derived from the first
six stage crises outlined by Erikson and emotional competence
in prediction of avoidance and anxiety in romantic
relationships. Taking personality dimensions into consideration,
only intimacy was found to be significant in predicting the
avoidance dimension. When emotional competence skills
entered the analysis, the amount of explained variance was
significantly increased, whereas the variable expressing and
labeling emotions had the biggest contribution. Findings
suggest that participants who score higher on intimacy and are
better in expressing emotions, are also less likely to avoid
intimacy in romantic relationships. With the chosen set of
predictors we explained about a third of the variance of anxiety
in romantic relationships, and the only significant predictors
were trust and autonomy, personality strengths that theoretically
develop in the earliest stages of psychosocial development.
Regression analyses suggest that there is a difference in the
nature of processes that stand behind these two dimensions of
attachment, which corresponds with the theoretical
expectations.
Keywords
Erikson's theory; emotional competence; intimacy; personality
Hrčak ID:
72451
URI
Publication date:
10.10.2011.
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