HOW THIS TEST WORKS
How What Is My Attachment Style? works
How version core-v1 is scored, and what it can and cannot tell you.
How it is scored
This test is based on adult attachment research. Attachment theory began with John Bowlby's work on how children bond with caregivers. Later researchers found similar patterns in adult relationships (Hazan and Shaver, 1987). Bartholomew and Horowitz (1991) described four adult styles: secure, anxious (also called preoccupied), avoidant (also called dismissing), and fearful. Today, many researchers measure two scales, anxiety and avoidance, and see the four styles as combinations of them (Brennan, Clark, and Shaver, 1998).
Part 1 has 24 sentences, six for each style. Each one gives 0 to 4 points to its style. Part 2 has 18 pairs of choices. Every style is paired with every other style three times, and the choice you pick gives 3.1 points to its style. Every style can earn the same total, so the scores compare fairly.
Each style score runs from 0 to 100. Your main style is your highest score. Most people show more than one style, so look at all four.
PersonalitySite.com wrote all of these questions and descriptions. They are not copied from any other test.
What it cannot tell you
This test is for learning about yourself. It is not a diagnosis, and it does not measure trauma or mental health. Do not use it to judge a partner or anyone else.
Your style can change with the person, the relationship, and the time in your life. You may feel secure with a friend and anxious with a partner. Think about the relationships you had in mind when you answered.
If two styles are close, you may relate to both. This version has not yet been tested with a large group of people, so we do not yet know how accurate it is.