THE UNIVERSALITY OF RELATIONSHIP CHARACTERISTICS: A CROSS-CULTURAL COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF ATTACHMENT AND LONELINESS IN CANADIAN AND VISITING CHINESE STUDENTS

This study investigated the universality of loneliness and attachment in family, romantic and social relationships by comparing Canadian home students with Chinese visiting students. A total of 223 students completed measures assessing peer, parent and romantic attachment, and emotional and social loneliness. The results indicate significant main effects of culture and gender for both attachment and loneliness, as well as a significant two-way interaction for family loneliness. The findings support the universality of loneliness and attachment, but also lend credence to the notion that the expression, or intensity, of these constructs may differ among cultures and genders.