Dataset for "Exploring How UK Adults' Attachment Style in Romantic Relationships Affects Engagement in Controlling Behaviours"

Data collection method:

A questionnaire battery consisting of four self-report measures was build using Qualtrics. The measures included the ESR-RS, ADA, Buss Perry Aggression Questionnaire, Caregiving Questionnaire. Any English-speaking adult, over the age of 18, living in the UK, was eligible to partake in this study. The participants accessed the experiment from a link in the advertisement of the study. Initially they read an information sheet and completed a consent form before progressing onto the demographics’ questionnaire. Following these initial stages, the four self-report measures were presented to participants. They were asked to answer every question, on a Likert scale, in respect to their current or most recent romantic relationship. The questionnaire generally took the participants around 15 minutes to complete. Having completed the questionnaire measures, the participants were debriefed and thanked.

Technical details and requirements:

The data was collected using a questionnaire built on Qualtrics, it was then downloaded onto Microsoft Excel for Mac Version 16.43 to be cleaned and finally the data was exported onto IMB SPSS v. 26 to be analysed. The only equipment required create the data and review the data was a laptop.

Additional information:

Columns A-F contain the demographic data for each participant. A – Ethnic Group: 1 = White, e.g. English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish, British, Irish; 2 = Mixed/Multiple ethnic groups, e.g. White and Asian; 3 = Asian, e.g. Indian, Pakistani, Chinese, Japanese; 4 = Black, e.g. Black British, African, Caribbean; 5 = Arab/Any other ethnic group. B – Gender: 1 = Male (including transgender males); 2 = Female (including transgender females); 3 = Non-binary; 4 = Other; 5 = Prefer not to say. C – Sexual Orientation: 1 = Heterosexual; 2 = Homosexual; 3 = Bisexual; 4 = Other; 5 = Prefer not to say. D – Current relationship status: 1 = Married; 2 = Widowed; 3 = Divorced; 4 = Separated; 5 = In a long-term exclusive relationship (for 2+ years); 6 = In an exclusive relationship (for less than 2 years); 7 = In a casual relationship(s)/dating; 8 = Single; 9 = Other. E – Number of relationships they had been in lasting over 2 years from 1-4+. F – Age. Columns H–P contain the data from the Adult Disorganised Attachment scale and column Q contains each participant’s score for this scale which was used in the subsequent analysis. Columns S–AU contain the data from the Buss Perry Aggression Questionnaire and column AV contains the Total Aggression Score for each participant which was used in the subsequent analysis. Columns AX–BF contain the data from the Experiences in Close Relationships Questionnaire (ERS-RS) this data was used to calculate the total Avoidant Attachment score which is shown in column BG and the total Anxious Attachment score which is shown in BH, both of which were used in the subsequent analysis. Columns BJ–CO contain the data from the Caregiving Questionnaire which provided a proximity maintenance and caregiving sensitivity scores shown in columns CP and CQ which was not included in the analysis. It also provided a total Controlling Caregiving Score, column CR, and a Compulsive Caregiving Score, column CS, which were both used in the subsequent analysis.