Attachment Style Test: What’s Your Attachment Style?
An attachment style is the way you tend to relate to the people you are closest to, shaped largely by your early experiences with your parents or caregivers. Researchers describe four styles: secure, anxious, avoidant and fearful-avoidant (disorganized). This free 12-question test measures the two dimensions behind them, attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance, and shows where you land and how your family may have shaped it.
- 12 questions
- About 3 minutes
- Free, no sign-up
- Answers stay on your device
Answer based on how you usually are, not how you wish you were. There are no right or wrong answers.
What this test measures
- Attachment anxiety
- Worry about rejection or abandonment, and how much you need reassurance.
- Attachment avoidance
- Discomfort with closeness and depending on others, and the urge to pull away.
How the test works
Adult attachment research describes attachment along two dimensions, anxiety and avoidance (Brennan, Clark & Shaver, 1998). Their combination gives the four styles described by Bartholomew and Horowitz (1991).
This test has 6 statements per dimension on a 5-point scale. Each dimension is scored from 0 to 100, and 50 or above counts as high. Several statements are adapted from the Inherited Dynamics app’s assessments of fusion and emotional cutoff, the family-systems ideas closest to attachment anxiety and avoidance.
This is a short self-reflection, not a validated research instrument like the ECR-R. Your answers are scored in your browser and are not sent or stored anywhere.
Sources
- Brennan, K. A., Clark, C. L., & Shaver, P. R. (1998). Self-report measurement of adult attachment: An integrative overview. In J. A. Simpson & W. S. Rholes (Eds.), Attachment Theory and Close Relationships. Guilford Press.
- Bartholomew, K., & Horowitz, L. M. (1991). Attachment styles among young adults: A test of a four-category model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 61(2), 226–244.
- Kerr, M. E., & Bowen, M. (1988). Family Evaluation: An Approach Based on Bowen Theory. W. W. Norton.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 4 attachment styles?
Secure (comfortable with closeness and independence), anxious or preoccupied (fear of abandonment, need for reassurance), avoidant or dismissive (discomfort with closeness, strong self-reliance), and fearful-avoidant or disorganized (wanting closeness and fearing it at the same time).
How does your family shape your attachment style?
Attachment styles form mostly in early relationships with parents or caregivers. How consistently they responded to your needs, and how your family handled closeness and conflict, shape your expectations of close relationships as an adult. Family Systems Theory adds that these patterns often repeat across generations.
Can your attachment style change?
Yes. Attachment styles are fairly stable but not fixed. People can develop “earned security” through self-awareness, relationships with secure partners or friends, and therapy.
How accurate are online attachment style tests?
Online tests are useful for self-reflection, but they are not a diagnosis. Your results can shift depending on which relationship you have in mind and how stressed you are. Research questionnaires such as the ECR-R are more thorough, and a therapist can give a fuller picture.
Is this test a diagnosis?
No. It is an educational self-reflection tool, not a diagnosis or medical advice. If relationships feel consistently painful or unsafe, consider talking to a licensed therapist.