Neustadt, E.; (2007) Attachment at work: its construct, discriminant, and predictive validity. Doctoral thesis , University of London.

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Abstract

This dissertation is concerned with Attachment Theory (e.g. Bowlby, 1969/82 1973 1980) as it may apply to adults at work, with particular attention to the bearing of attachment orientation on management style and job performance. Chapter 1 provides an overview of attachment theory, existing measures and salient measurement issues Chapter 2 examines the literature, with a particular focus on adult attachment. Chapters 3-9 present a series of studies that entail testing the construct, discriminant, and predictive validity of a new measure of attachment at work. Studies 1 and 2 entail preliminary applications of this new adult attachment at work (AAW) inventory, completed by participants from a wide spectrum of work organisations, in part to test the measure's construct validity. Both of these studies also entail preliminary investigation of associations between attachment at work and the 'Big Five' personality factors, as measured with a relatively short (60 item) questionnaire (NEO-FFI, Costa & McCrae, 1992). This investigation of discriminant validity is expanded in Studies 3-5, through use of the most complete extant version of this personality questionnaire (NEO-PI-R, Costa & McCrae, 1992). Taken together, these studies serve in part as vehicles through which to test this measure's concurrent and discriminant validity. Studies 6 and 7 are concerned with the incremental predictive validity of the AAW relative to job satisfaction, job/career potential, and job performance. A final chapter presents results of a meta-analysis of data from the previous studies, and offers conclusions about limitations of the foregoing studies and suggested future directions for this research area. Note: Study 1 has been accepted for publication in Advances in Psychological Research. Study 3 has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Individual Differences.

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