Adult Attachment Scale – AAS
Measures adult attachment styles along three dimensions: comfort with closeness, comfort with dependency, and anxiety about abandonment or being unloved.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Adult Attachment Scale – AAS was developed by Nancy L. Collins & Stephen J. Read (1990). It is designed to measure Adult Attachment. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 18 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Close, Depend, Anxiety.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Close | 1,6,8,12,13,17 | 6 |
| Depend | 2,5,7,14,16,18 | 6 |
| Anxiety | 3,4,9,10,11,15 | 6 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree).
The scale includes 7 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 6 to 30. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Subscale Score: 6 – 14
- Moderate Subscale Score: 15 – 22
- High Subscale Score: 23 – 30
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's alpha ranges from .69 to .75 for the subscales.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.