Attachment and specifics of self-actualization in adolescents

Abstract

The paper reports the results of a pilot study conducted in the summer of 2024. It focused on the specifics of self-actualization and its relationship with attachment in adolescents. The pilot study involved 20 adolescent respondents aged 18 to 23 years old (M=20.9), including 17 girls and 3 boys. As this is a pilot study, the non-randomized gender distribution is noted as a limitation. The methodological toolkit includes a semi-structured interview to explore the respondents’ experiences with relocation, their attitude toward potential moves for fulfillment and self-actualization, and their perspective on attachment as a resource and a barrier to self-actualization. Additionally, the toolkit includes two more techniques: Express Diagnostics of Situational Self-Actualization (SSL) developed by T. D. Dubovitskaya that assesses the degree of self-actualization in different life contexts (situations), and Diagnostics of Situational Self-Actualization developed by A. V. Lazukin and adapted by N. F. Kalina. The results indicate correlational relationships between attachment to home and interpersonal attachment and certain aspects of self-actualization during adolescence.