The Relationship between Attachment Styles and Loneliness among Z Generation in the Klang Valley

Abstract

Loneliness is a universal phenomenon that happens to individuals across all ages and backgrounds. Previous research reports highlighted that the younger generation, particularly the Z Generation, is experiencing the highest cases of loneliness, that often linked to their various attachment styles. Despite these alarming trends, the underlying basis of such claims remains underexplored. Thus, this study aims to examine the relationship between attachment styles and loneliness among Generation Z in the Klang Valley. This quantitative study employed two validated and reliable instruments: The Revised Adult Attachment Scale (RAAS) and the Malay version of the UCLA Loneliness Scale-8 (ULS-8). A total of 410 participants aged between 18 and 28 were selected using convenience sampling, which was recruited via an online platform. The results of the analysis found that there was a significant relationship between the sub-dimension of attachment, namely, anxiety, closeness, and dependence. The findings of this study offer meaningful knowledge to raise awareness of loneliness and attachment among the Z generation. It also provides support for the notion that negative or insecure attachment can lead to a higher level of loneliness. These findings' implications are discussed, considering the expansion of knowledge in designing an appropriate framework to nurture positive attachment during early developmental stages as one of the preventions to loneliness.