Exploring attachment styles: mediating war trauma, psychopathology, and post-traumatic growth, and examining psychometric properties in relation to family functioning and religiosity among Libyan citizens

Study 1 Objective: The present study aimed to explore the associations between the impact of war and psychological symptoms and posttraumatic growth (PTG) and to evaluate the role of the two insecure attachment dimensions (avoidant and anxious styles) as mediators in these relations in the Libyan population. Method: Participants were 147 females and 153 (M = 31.0, SD = 8.37; Range = 18–63) from Libya. The participants completed the Impact of event scale Revised, Experiences in Close Relationships, The patient health questionnaire, Posttraumatic Growth Inventory-Short Form, and a sociodemographic questionnaire. Results: Structural equation model revealed that insecure attachment dimensions mediated the association between the posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and psychological symptoms and posttraumatic growth. The PTSS was positively related to psychological symptoms, PTG, and both insecure attachment dimensions. Insecure attachment dimensions were positively correlated with psychological symptoms and negatively with PTG. Conclusion: The findings of the present study contributed to growing empirical research for understanding the specific roles of insecure attachment dimensions in the association between the impact of war, the psychological symptoms, and PTG. Study 2 The Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ) and its short form have not been validated in Arabic language, limiting studies on attachment dimensions in this context. Aim was to validate the Arabic Attachment Style Questionnaire Short Form (A-ASQ-SF) and to investigate its associations with family functioning and religiosity. A total of 1173 Libyan participants completed a survey composed of ASQ, Experiences in Close Relationships (ECR), Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES-IV), and the Muslim Religiosity Scale (MRS). The sample was randomly split in two sub-samples. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on the first sub-sample (577), and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on the second sub-sample (596) were performed. Correlations were conducted between A-ASQ-SF and ECR, and among A-ASQ-SF, FACES-IV, and MRS. Twenty items were selected (EFA), and the CFA showed a good fit for the five factors structure. Results showed a high convergent validity with the ECR, and significant correlations with the MRS. The A-ASQ-SF is a valid and reliable questionnaire to measure the attachment dimensions in Arabic populations.