Do college students with higher attachment anxiety or avoidance tend to have lower subjective social status? Evidence from a cross‐sectional and a longitudinal study

The present study examined the relationship between adult attachment and subjective social status (SSS) in college students through a cross‐sectional survey (Study 1) and a longitudinal study (Study 2). In Study 1, 1300 college students were recruited via research flyers and online campus advertisements. They completed measures of adult attachment and SSS. The results showed that higher attachment anxiety and avoidance negatively predicted SSS. In Study 2, 958 freshmen students were recruited via the Freshmen Entrance Ceremony and underwent assessment four times (T1, T2, T3, and T4) at monthly intervals. The latent growth model results showed a significant decline in SSS during the first month of campus life, followed by a slow increase over the subsequent 2 months. While attachment avoidance did not predict a decline in SSS, attachment anxiety positively predicted the rate of decline in SSS, which meant that the higher the attachment anxiety was, the slower the rate of decline in SSS. Both studies indicated that both dimensions of attachment influence freshmen's SSS and that only attachment anxiety plays a role in the dynamics of SSS. Practitioner Points Attachment anxiety and avoidance were negative predictors of subjective social status. Specifically, higher levels of attachment anxiety and avoidance were associated with lower subjective social status (SSS). During the first month of campus life, freshmen experienced a substantial and transient decline in SSS, which was subsequently followed by a gradual rebound over the next 2 months. Only attachment anxiety exhibited a positive correlation with the rate of decline in SSS. In other words, students with higher attachment anxiety experienced a slower decline in their SSS during the initial month of college.