Parental Attachment Styles and Adolescent Deconversion: The Mediating Role of Problematic Facebook Use

Abstract

Previous studies have demonstrated links between parental attachment styles and religiosity. However, only a few studies have focused on how attachment styles may affect deconversion. This study analyzed the relationships between parental attachment styles and deconversion among adolescents. The mediating role of problematic Facebook use will also be examined. Participants were 550 high school students aged between 14 and 19 (M = 16.36, SD = 1.28). The Experiences in Close Relationships Scale, the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale, and the Adolescent Deconversion Scale were applied to the research. The results showed that the anxious and avoidant attachment styles correlated positively, whereas the secure attachment style correlated negatively with deconversion. Problematic Facebook use was a mediator in the parental anxious attachment-deconversion relationship. The findings supported that anxious parental relationships may significantly contribute to leaving religion in adolescents.