Spirituality,Self‐Representations,and Attachment to Parents: A Longitudinal Study of Roman Catholic College Seminarians

The author used an attachment theory framework to explore relationships between early attachment to parents and seminarians' later self‐representations and relationship with God. Attachment to mother was a key variable in predicting seminarians' level of self‐esteem and internalized shame as well as the quality of their relationship with God. This study suggests that a secure relationship with God may, over time, have a moderating effect on low self‐esteem. Furthermore, an individual's style of early attachment to mother may influence the quality of later spiritual experiences in relation to God. Implications for counseling are discussed from the perspective of attachment theory.