“Who Am I Without You?” A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Adult Attachment and Self-Concept

Study Description / Summary This study is a systematic review and meta-analysis examining the association between adult attachment dimensions and self-concept outcomes. Attachment theory proposes that early relational experiences shape internal working models of the self and others, which may influence the organisation, clarity and stability of self-concept across adulthood. While attachment insecurity has been widely linked to mental health outcomes, the specific relationship between attachment and self-concept remains fragmented and has not yet been systematically synthesised. The present review focuses on adult populations and examines how attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance relate to self-concept clarity, instability and related constructs. Where sufficient data are available, a meta-analytic synthesis will be conducted; otherwise, findings will be synthesised narratively. Research Questions / Aims 1. To assess the extent to which existing empirical studies have directly examined the relationship between adult attachment and self-concept. 2. To evaluate the strength and consistency of associations between attachment dimensions (anxiety and avoidance) and self-concept outcomes. 3. To examine methodological and measurement heterogeneity in how attachment and self-concept are operationalised across studies. 4. To identify gaps and limitations in the current evidence base to inform future research directions. Methods Overview A systematic literature search has been conducted across PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and EMBASE, supplemented by manual reference list screening. Studies were eligible if they sampled adult participants (≥18 years), assessed attachment using validated measures and included a psychometric assessment of self-concept or closely related constructs. Eligible studies were screened using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data extraction includes study characteristics, sample details, attachment and self-concept measures, statistical methods and reported effect sizes. Where studies report extractable zero-order correlations, effect sizes will be synthesised quantitatively. Studies reporting non-convertible effects (e.g., regression coefficients, mediation or moderation models) will be included in a narrative synthesis. Timing of Registration This review is being registered retrospectively. The literature searches and study selection have already been conducted prior to registration. However, data synthesis and statistical analysis have not yet been completed at the time of registration. All analytic decisions, inclusion criteria and synthesis approaches described here were specified prior to conducting the final analyses and the registration is intended to promote transparency and reduce analytic flexibility moving forward. Planned Analyses • Narrative synthesis of all included studies • Meta-analysis of correlation coefficients where sufficient and appropriate data are available • Subgroup analyses by attachment dimension where possible • Sensitivity analysis based on study quality and methodological characteristics Keywords Attachment theory; self-concept; self-concept clarity; adult attachment; systematic review; meta-analysis