Attachment Style (ECR-R)

What the ECR-R measures

Rooted in John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth's childhood attachment theory, adult attachment theory posits that our earliest bonds with caregivers create internal working models that dictate how we behave in adult romantic relationships. The ECR-R is the gold standard for measuring this. Rather than boxing people into categorical types, the ECR-R plots individuals on a two-dimensional grid representing internal models of "Self" and "Other."

The dimensions it assesses

• Attachment Anxiety (Model of Self): Reflects a fear of rejection, abandonment, and unlovability. High anxiety individuals are hyper-vigilant to signs of their partner pulling away and often require excessive reassurance.
• Attachment Avoidance (Model of Other): Reflects discomfort with emotional intimacy, dependency, and vulnerability. High avoidance individuals view others as unreliable and prefer to maintain strict emotional independence.

What your score means

Scores on the ECR-R are interpreted against the ranges below, which come from the instrument's published validation research rather than from us.

These ranges describe groups of people, not individuals. A score near a boundary is not meaningfully different from one just across it, and no range on this table is a diagnosis.

What to do with your result

1. For Anxious Styles: Recognize "protest behaviors" (e.g., picking fights to test love). Learn self-soothing techniques rather than demanding immediate reassurance from your partner.
2. For Avoidant Styles: Recognize your "deactivating strategies" (e.g., suddenly finding flaws in your partner when things get too close). Practice remaining in the room during emotional conversations instead of fleeing.
3. The Anxious-Avoidant Trap: The most common and toxic pairing. Anxious partners push for closeness, triggering the Avoidant partner to withdraw, which triggers the Anxious partner to panic and push harder. Breaking this cycle requires identifying the pattern and communicating core needs without criticism.

Common questions about the ECR-R

What does the ECR-R measure?

Assessment of adult romantic attachment styles (Anxious and Avoidant dimensions).

Can the ECR-R diagnose me?

No. Attachment Style (ECR-R) is a screening questionnaire, not a diagnostic tool. It can flag that something may need a closer look. It cannot tell you what is causing it. It describes tendencies rather than diagnosing anything, and no result here is a condition or something to fix.

How long does the ECR-R take?

36 questions, which most people finish in 10 – 15 minutes. There is no time limit, and answering honestly matters more than answering quickly. The results page checks for patterns suggesting the questions were rushed.

Is this ECR-R test really free?

Yes. No account, no email address, no payment. Psychometrics Today is funded by donations rather than advertising, which is also what allows us to publish instruments whose authors permit free but non-commercial use.

Are my answers stored or shared?

No. Your answers are scored inside your browser and never sent to us. There is no database of responses, because we never receive any. Closing the tab erases them, which is why results cannot be recovered afterwards.

How often should I retake the ECR-R?

Traits and preferences move slowly, so retaking this every few months is more informative than retaking it often. Larger shifts usually follow a genuine change in circumstances.

Who created the ECR-R, and is this the real version?

It was published by Fraley, Waller & Brennan. Authors publish the items openly for free research and educational use. The items here are the published ones rather than a paraphrase, and the scoring follows the original rules. Both are documented on this page so they can be checked.

How accurate is the ECR-R?

Screening questionnaires are good at flagging that something merits attention and poor at establishing what it is. This one is sensitive to how you feel on the day you take it, and many instruments were validated on narrow populations whose cut-offs may not transfer cleanly to everyone. The references at the foot of this page are the primary sources.