ATTACHMENT AS A PREDICTOR OF INTERACTIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL LITERACY: IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHER-STUDENT INTERACTION

Interactional psychological literacy is an emerging concept in educational disciplines in the contexts of understanding and effectively navigating social and emotional interactions within educational settings. Attachment theory posits that early relationships with caregivers shape an individual’s future interactions and relationship patterns. Drawing on these concepts, we were interested in whether future teachers’ attachment styles are related to their preferred modes of interaction. The aim of the research was to examine the relations between attachment and the interactional psychological literacy of preservice teachers. To achieve this aim, a survey research strategy of questionnaire instruments was used. Data were collected using the ECR-R questionnaire, which measured attachment styles, and the ISK-K questionnaire, which measured interactional psychological literacy. Eighty second- and third-year undergraduate students of Bachelor of Education in Teaching participated in the study. The findings indicate that the attachment styles of the preservice teachers are predictors of preservice teachers’ interactive psychological literacy. This implies that, among other things, it is important to pay attention to the development of interactive psychological literacy regarding relational attachment in the preparation of future teachers. These results contribute to a broader understanding of the challenges of educating and preparing future teachers for practice. Keywords: attachment styles, interaction styles, teacher-student interaction, psychological literacy, educational outcomes