The Relationship between Transformational Leadership Behavior, Adult Attachment, and God Attachment. Issue 1 (March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Foulkes-Bert, Deborah; Volk, Frederick; Garzon, Fernando; Pride, Melvin
• Is Part Of: Journal of psychology and theology. Volume 47:Issue 1(2019)
• Page Start: 20
• Page End: 33
• Publication Date: 2019-03
• Subjects: adult attachment -- God attachment -- compensation hypothesis -- correspondence hypothesis -- transformational leadership; Psychology -- Periodicals; Psychology, Religious -- Periodicals; 253.5019
• DOI: 10.1177/0091647118795181
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0091-6471

Abstract

The correspondence hypothesis concerning God attachment posits that a person's attachment to God will be similar to their adult attachment style. On the other hand, a compensation model of God attachment proposes that a secure attachment to God can occur when there is an insecure adult attachment. This preliminary research study used a sample of religious leaders ( n = 69) in a chaplaincy program to identify the relationship between God attachment and adult attachment on transformational leaders and to see if a compensatory secure attachment to God can exist in the absence of a secure adult attachment. Additionally, this preliminary study explored the interaction between God attachment and adult attachment on transformational leaders. The results of this study suggest that God attachment moderates adult attachment and provides a unique contribution to transformational leadership behavior, above adult attachment.