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The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the effect of attachment styles on emotional intelligence and academic confidence of postgraduate students. Postgraduate students often face several challenges related to emotional and academic pressures. Emotional intelligence can help them to navigate these difficulties to help them enhance their academic confidence. One of the factors that influence academic confidence is attachment types. Attachment types can be divided into two styles, secure attachment and insecure attachment. Secure attachment was examined in more detail because it has significant correlation to academic confidence, which academic confidence is also influenced by emotional intelligence. Prior studies mostly focus on undergraduate students, overlooking the unique developmental stage and pressures of postgraduate study. A quantitative methodology was employed, utilising a cross-sectional survey design to collect data from a sample of 76 postgraduate students enrolled in a UK university. Participants voluntarily completed self-report surveys measuring their attachment types, emotional intelligence, and academic confidence. The data were subjected to several statistical analyses, including correlation, multiple regression, and mediation analysis using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) to test the hypothesised predictive relationships between attachment styles, emotional intelligence, and academic confidence in postgraduate students. The results demonstrated that attachment styles were not a significant predictor of emotional intelligence, but secure attachment predicted academic confidence. Moreover, emotional intelligence did not mediate the relationship between attachment styles and academic confidence, although emotional intelligence and secure attachment independently showed a significant positive direct effect on academic confidence. Currently, the is still no prior research linking attachment patterns with academic confidence, since academic confidence is a relatively new concept, and the present study gives contribution to this area. By investigating the role of emotional intelligence in the link between attachment and academic confidence, this study highlights the importance of the direct influence of attachment patterns on academic confidence in postgraduate students, a relationship that was not found to be mediated by emotional abilities. Future research could explore other factors that may be mediate these relationships, such as resilience, social support, or self-esteem.

Given that a student’s attachment style can significantly influence their academic confidence, these findings may be meaningfully applied within university settings to support academic success in postgraduate students. By identifying particular types of attachment, universities can better tailor interventions for students who may be at risk of low self-efficacy. For instance, students with anxious or avoidant attachment styles may benefit from structured programmes such as mentoring, peer support, or academic coaching, all of which can provide encouragement and help them build a stronger sense of competence. The role of emotional intelligence is also important, which shapes the way students regulate their emotions, respond to challenges, and maintain motivation in demanding academic environments. Training programmes that focus on developing emotional abilities, such as empathy, emotional regulation, and stress management, could be incorporated into student development initiatives to boost academic confidence more broadly. Furthermore, universities could integrate attachment-informed counselling services to directly target students who struggle with insecure attachment, thereby promoting both psychological wellbeing and academic persistence. Those approaches have the potential to reduce dropout rates by addressing the underlying emotional and relational challenges that undermine confidence. Educators should also be made aware of the importance of cultivating safe and supportive learning environments. A sense of security within academic contexts is essential for postgraduate students, as it allows them to take intellectual risks and engage more confidently in their studies. Since instructors often spend considerable time with students, they are in a strong position to notice those who may be struggling. Finally, interventions that simultaneously promote emotional intelligence can serve as protective factors against stress, loneliness, and depression, further reinforcing resilience and long-term academic achievement.