Jealousy and Conflict: The Mediation Between Romantic Attachment Styles and Dating Aggression

Alexa Wing ’25, Psychology, Sociology, and Women’s & Gender Studies major Faculty mentor: Dr. Charlene Collibee, Psychology This study examined whether jealousy and conflict mediate the relationship between romantic attachment and dating aggression (DA). Data were collected over six months from 120 young adults (ages 18–25) with a history of DA in romantic relationships. Measures assessed attachment style, jealousy, conflict, and DA. Results showed that relational anxiety was associated with both jealousy and DA. Jealousy partially mediated the link between anxiety and DA, but conflict did not. No significant associations emerged between relational avoidance and DA. Discussion will address the limitations of the evaluation of jealousy and conflict.