Abstract
One hundred ninety one (30 males and 161 females) new college students between the ages of 18 and 25 (M = 18.64, SD = 1.19) who attended colleges across the United States were surveyed via an internet survey website to investigate the independent variables of attachment style and perceptions of mattering on the dependent variable of successful adjustment to college. College adjustment was measured using the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ). The parent version of the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA) was used to determine if securely attached students showed better college adjustment than insecure-avoidant and insecure-ambivalent attached students. Only the difference between secure and insecure-avoidant attachment styles were statistically significant. The Mattering to Others Questionnaire (MTOQ) was used to measure the variable of perceived mattering, which also showed a statistically significant effect on students' college adjustment. Analyses indicated no interaction effect existed between attachment style and perceptions of mattering on college adjustment. Limitations and implications are discussed.