Development and validation of the Arabic Attachment Style Questionnaire short form and its associations with family functioning and religiosity

The Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ) has not been validated in Arabic. The present study aimed to validate the Arabic ASQ Short Form (A-ASQ-SF) and investigate its associations with family functioning and religiosity. A total of 1173 Libyan participants completed a survey composed of ASQ, Experiences in Close Relationships (ECR), Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES-IV) and the Muslim Religiosity Scale (MRS). The sample was randomly split into two sub-samples. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on the first sub-sample (n = 577) and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on the second sub-sample (n = 596) were performed. Twenty items were selected (EFA), and the CFA showed a good fit for the five-factor structure. The results showed a high convergent validity with the ECR, and significant correlations with the FACES-IV and MRS. The A-ASQ-SF is a valid and reliable questionnaire to measure the attachment dimensions in Arab populations. Cultural aspects have been discussed.