Attachment Style Assessment ECR-Rfree self-assessment

About this assessment

Attachment theory was first developed to understand relationships between children and caregivers. Later research found that adults also develop recurring ways of responding in close relationships. Some people easily worry that a partner will leave, some are used to relying mainly on themselves, and some want closeness while also fearing hurt. The ECR-R, or Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised, does not force you into one fixed type. It looks at two continuous dimensions, attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance. Attachment patterns are also not fixed for life. New relationship experiences, greater security, and counselling can gradually change the way we approach closeness.

What does it look at?

The questionnaire measures two dimensions separately. Attachment anxiety reflects how easily you worry about being left, not being loved enough, or needing repeated reassurance that the relationship is secure. Attachment avoidance reflects how uncomfortable you are relying on other people, expressing needs, or allowing someone to get very close. The two scores are calculated separately. Research often describes four attachment patterns based on different combinations of these dimensions, but most people sit somewhere along a continuum rather than fitting neatly into a box.

This assessment may suit you if...

• You notice that similar difficulties keep repeating across different close relationships.
• You want to understand whether you are more likely to worry that someone will leave or to feel uncomfortable when someone gets too close.
• You are in individual or couple counselling and want more concrete language for discussing your relationship pattern.