Relation between Attachment Anxiety and Relationship Addiction in Emerging Adults: Mediating Effects of Self-Concept Clarity and Intolerance of Uncertainty (성인진입기의 애착불안과 관계중독의 관계: 자기개념명확성과 불확실성에 대한 인내력 부족의 매개효과)

Minhee Bang (방민희); Soeun Shim (심소은); Heejae Hwang (황희재); Kyuwon Ham (함규원); Seungyeon Lee (이승연)

doi:10.35574/KJDP.2025.12.38.4.27

Relation between Attachment Anxiety and Relationship Addiction in Emerging Adults: Mediating Effects of Self-Concept Clarity and Intolerance of Uncertainty

THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
2025, 38(4), pp.27~48
DOI : 10.35574/KJDP.2025.12.38.4.27
Publisher : The Korean Society For Developmental Psychology
Research Area : Social Science > Psychological Science
Received : January 15, 2025
Accepted : November 28, 2025
Published : December 15, 2025

Minhee Bang ¹, Soeun Shim ¹, Heejae Hwang ¹, Kyuwon Ham ¹, Seungyeon Lee ¹

¹이화여자대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

The current study examined the mediating roles of self-concept clarity and intolerance of uncertainty in the relationship between attachment anxiety and relationship addiction among 400 emerging adults (aged 19-25). Utilizing structural equation modeling on online-survey data, the results indicated that attachment anxiety negatively predicted self-concept clarity and positively predicted intolerance of uncertainty. Both decreased self-concept clarity and increased intolerance of uncertainty led to an increase in relationship addiction. The findings confirm a double mediation model where attachment anxiety contributes to a higher level of relationship addiction by weakening self-concept clarity and lowering tolerance for uncertain situations. These results offer crucial implications for developing interventions aimed at emerging adults struggling with excessive relational preoccupation.

KEYWORDS

Attachment Anxiety, Relationship Addiction, Self-Concept Clarity, Intolerance of Uncertainty

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