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The purpose of this paper is to analyze potential predictors of accumulating casual vs. committed sexual partners in emerging adulthood. Using a large, national sample of emerging adults in the United States, I examined how alcohol use and attachment orientation differentially predicted accumulating casual and committed sexual partners. I found that higher anxious attachment positively predicted the number of committed sexual partners, while higher avoidant attachment negatively predicted the number of casual sexual partners. I also found that alcohol use positively predicted both the number of casual and committed sexual partners emerging adults accumulated. Further, I tested the strength of the various associations and found that anxious attachment more strongly predicts committed sexual partners, while avoidant attachment and alcohol use more strongly predict casual sexual partners. This work highlights the need for scholars to distinguish between the type of sexual partners emerging adults accumulate during this time of life.

Attachment theory posits that insecure attachment orientations reflect activation of the attachment behavioural system, and therefore deactivation of its complementary counterpart the exploration system, which is associated with feeling less energized. We hypothesized that less perceived social support and higher fatigue would prospectively explain the link between insecure attachment and well-being in emerging adulthood (ages 18–25), a period in which exploration and social relationships are critical. Participants aged 18–25 completed surveys initially and two weeks later (N=153). Temporal multiple mediation revealed that, at T1, both forms of insecure attachment (anxious and avoidant) were associated with lower T2 well-being, with less perceived social support and higher levels of fatigue each uniquely explaining these associations, after controlling for the effects of each form of attachment on the other. Our findings suggest that deactivation of the exploration system and information processing biases regarding the availability and trustworthiness of others may compromise well-being for emerging adults with an insecure attachment orientation.