The relationship between adult romantic attachment anxiety, negative life events, and compliance

This study investigates the role of attachment anxiety and the experience of intense life adversity in the development of compliance. It also seeks to specify which types of negative life events may be especially relevant in encouraging compliant behaviour, and whether gender may moderate this effect. Participants (N = 125) completed the Gudjonsson Compliance Scale, the Life Events Questionnaire and the Relationship Scale Questionnaire. Contrary to previous research, attachment anxiety and the reported experience of intense negative life events appear to be associated with significantly lower compliance scores. Gender appears not to moderate this relationship. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses show that inter-personal negative life events and attachment anxiety together predict lower compliance scores. This is the first study to show that adult romantic attachment anxiety and the experience of intense negative life events can also lead to psychological resilience, reducing the probability of false confessions and statements during police interview.