Attachment to God Inventory

Abstract

The Attachment to God Inventory (AGI) is a 28-item psychometrics instrument developed by R. Beck and A. McDonald (2004) to assess individuals’ generalized feelings and experiences regarding their relationship with God. The scale applies principles derived from Attachment theory to the spiritual domain. It specifically measures two orthogonal dimensions of spiritual attachment: Attachment Anxiety and Attachment Avoidance, reflecting the characteristic ways individuals seek or distance themselves from the divine.

Keywords

Attachment to God, Spiritual Attachment, Attachment Anxiety, Attachment Avoidance, Religious Coping, Relationship with God, Beck and McDonald, Attachment theory.

Authors

R. Beck, A. McDonald.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the AGI is to provide a standardized, reliable measure for assessing the quality and style of an individual’s perceived relationship with God, viewed through the lens of Attachment theory. It aims to move beyond simple measures of religiosity by quantifying the emotional and cognitive patterns characteristic of spiritual relationships.

Specifically, the instrument is designed for research in the psychology of religion, counseling, and theology, allowing practitioners to explore how attachment styles—initially formed with primary caregivers—might be mirrored or transferred onto the individual’s connection with the divine figure.

Construct

The AGI measures the construct of Spiritual Attachment, which posits that the relationship an individual maintains with God functions similarly to human interpersonal attachment bonds. This construct is operationalized through two distinct, yet related, dimensions:

• Attachment Anxiety: Characterized by high levels of worry, fear of rejection, hyper-vigilance regarding God’s approval, and a strong craving for reassurance of divine love and presence.
• Attachment Avoidance: Characterized by discomfort with emotional intimacy, a preference for self-reliance over dependence on God, and a tendency to suppress or minimize intense emotional experiences within the spiritual relationship.

Validity

Initial validation studies conducted by Beck and McDonald (2004) confirmed the theoretical structure of the AGI. The scale demonstrates strong construct validity, showing appropriate correlations with other established measures of religious coping, relational style, and general psychological well-being. For instance, high Attachment Anxiety scores are often associated with negative religious coping strategies.

Furthermore, discriminant validity is evidenced by the clear separation of the Anxiety and Avoidance subscales, confirming that they measure distinct aspects of the spiritual relationship, consistent with adult attachment models.

Reliability

The AGI exhibits robust internal consistency. The scale has demonstrated strong reliability, with subsequent research typically reporting Cronbach’s alpha values often ranging in the acceptable to excellent range for the overall scale and for the individual subscales (Anxiety and Avoidance). This statistical assurance indicates that the items within each subscale reliably measure the intended underlying dimension.

Test-retest reliability has also been established, demonstrating the stability of the attachment style to God over time, suggesting that the AGI captures enduring relational patterns rather than transient spiritual moods.

Factor Analysis

The structure of the AGI was confirmed through Factor analysis, supporting the hypothesized two-factor model. This analysis typically utilizes confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to verify that the 28 items load cleanly onto the two orthogonal dimensions: Attachment Anxiety and Attachment Avoidance. The odd-numbered items load primarily onto the Anxiety factor, while the even-numbered items load onto the Avoidance factor.

This two-dimensional structure aligns directly with established adult Attachment theory models, reinforcing the theoretical foundation of applying attachment principles to the divine relationship.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychometrics inventory.

Format: 28 items rated on a 7-point Likert scale.

Language Available: Primarily English (original development); translations may exist in academic settings.

Population Group: Individuals who identify as religious or spiritual.

Age Group: Adults (typically college students and general adult population in initial studies).

Population Details: Used extensively in research among Christian populations, though the conceptual framework is applicable across monotheistic faiths.

Test Methodology: Respondents indicate their level of agreement or disagreement with statements concerning their general experience of their relationship with God, using the scale: 1= Disagree Strongly through 7= Agree Strongly.

Keywords

Psychology of Religion, Spiritual Development, Divine Attachment, Psychometrics, Religious Anxiety, Religious Avoidance.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source content.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source content.

Correspondence Address: Not provided in source content.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale was developed and published in 2004. The original publication notes that the content is copyrighted by Rosemead School of Psychology (2004) and reprinted with permission. Researchers typically need to seek permission from the original authors (R. Beck or A. McDonald) or the copyright holder for use, especially in commercial or large-scale research settings. Specific information regarding usage fees is not generally public.

The original PDF manuscript detailing the scale development and initial findings can be downloaded here: http://www.acu.edu/academics/cas/psychology/documents/beck/Attachment%20to%20God.pdf

Reference’s

Beck, R., & McDonald, A. (2004). Attachment to God: The Attachment to God Inventory, Tests of Working Model Correspondence, and an Exploration of Faith Group Differences. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 32(2), 92–103. Copyright 2004 by Rosemead School of Psychology.

Items of the Attachment to God Inventory

The following statements concern how you feel about your relationship with God. We are interested in how you generally experience your relationship with God‚ not just in what is happening in that relationship currently. Respond to each statement by indicating how much you agree or disagree with it‚ using the following scale.

Response Scale: 1= Disagree Strongly . 2= Disagree ‚ 3= Disagree Slightly‚ 4= Neutral /Mixed ‚ 5= Agree Slightly‚ 6= Agree ‚ 7= Agree Strongly

1. I worry a lot about my relationship with God.
2. I just don’t feel a deep need to be close to God.
3. If I can’t see God working in my life‚ I get upset or angry.
4. I am totally dependent upon God for everything in my life.
5. I am jealous at how God seems to care more for others than for me.
6. It is uncommon for me to cry when sharing with God.
7. Sometimes I feel that God loves others more than me.
8. My experiences with God are very intimate and emotional.
9. I am jealous at how close some people are to God.
10. I prefer not to depend too much on God.
11. I often worry about whether God is pleased with me.
12. I am uncomfortable being emotional in my communication with God.
13. Even if I fail‚ I never question that God is pleased with me.
14. My prayers to God are often matter-of-fact and not very personal.
15. Almost daily I feel that my relationship with God goes back and forth from “hot“ to “cold.”
16. I am uncomfortable with emotional displays of affection to God.
17. I fear God does not accept me when I do wrong.
18. Without God I couldn’t function at all.
19. I often feel angry with God for not responding to me when I want.
20. I believe people should not depend on God for things they should do for themselves.
21. I crave reassurance from God that God loves me.
22. Daily I discuss all of my problems and concerns with God.
23. I am jealous when others feel God’s presence when I cannot.
24. I am uncomfortable allowing God to control every aspect of my life.
25. I worry a lot about damaging my relationship with God.
26. My prayers to God are very emotional.
27. I get upset when I feel God helps others‚ but forgets about me.
28. I let God make most of the decisions in my life.

Scoring Key:

• Anxiety Subscale: Odd items.
• Avoidance Subscale: Even items.