Testing integrated models of relationship satisfaction among married Chinese couples using the actor–partner interdependence model

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 1256-1277
Author(s):  
Juhong Liu ◽  
Todd Jackson

Enduring dynamics including attachment styles and changes in the nature of interactions during the course of marriage such as increased disillusionment and mounting conflict have been implicated in separate accounts of relationship dissatisfaction and dissolution. However, the viability of integrated accounts is not well understood, especially in collectivist, non-Western contexts. Toward elucidating this issue, we examined links between attachment style, facets of disillusionment versus emergent distress model features, and relationship satisfaction in married, mainland Chinese couples. Both partners in 404 heterosexual couples completed self-report measures of relationship satisfaction, attachment style, key features of the disillusionment perspective (passionate love, relationship aggrandizement, disillusionment), and emergent distress account (problems in conflict management). Dyadic and structural aspects of mediation were tested using the actor–partner interdependence model. Within each gender, associations between elevations in avoidant attachment and reduced relationship satisfaction were mediated by participant and partner experiences of disillusionment on one hand and conflict management difficulties on the other hand. Acceptable fits were observed for final attachment–disillusionment and attachment–emergent distress models. Together, the results suggested increases in relationship disillusionment and conflict are plausible pathways by which high levels of avoidant attachment increase risk for losses of relationship satisfaction within married Chinese couples.

2013 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise Davis ◽  
Sophia Jowett ◽  
Marc-André K. Lafrenière

The aim of the current study was to examine actor and partner effects of (a) athletes’ and coaches’ attachment styles (avoidant and anxious) on the quality of the coach-athlete relationship, and (b) athletes’ and coaches’ quality of the coach-athlete relationship on relationship satisfaction employing the actor-partner interdependence model (Kenny, Kashy, & Cook, 2006). Coaches (N = 107) and athletes (N = 107) completed a questionnaire related to attachment styles, relationship quality, and relationship satisfaction. Structural equation model analyses revealed (a) actor effects for coaches’ and athletes’ avoidant attachment styles on their own perception of relationship quality and coaches’ and athletes’ perception of relationship quality on their own perception of relationship satisfaction, and (b) partner effects for athletes’ avoidant attachment style on coaches’ perceptions of relationship quality and for coaches’ perceptions of relationship quality on athletes’ perceptions of relationship satisfaction. The findings highlight that attachments styles can help us understand the processes involved in the formation and maintenance of quality relational bonds between coaches and athletes.


2121 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-26
Author(s):  
Zahra Shirzadi ◽  
◽  
Reza Khakpour ◽  
Anahita Khodabakhshi-Koolaee ◽  
◽  
...  

Background: Emotional divorce refers to a situation in which the emotional relationship, support, passion, warmth, attention, love, and intimacy between couples (husband & wife) decline or diminish. Such conditions lead to an unaffectionate marital life to the point that the couples are only together under one roof. Accordingly, the present study aimed to explore the role of attachment styles and spiritual intelligence in predicting emotional divorce in women. Methods: This study employed a descriptive-correlational design. The research population included all women filing for divorce who were referred to marriage counseling and couple therapy centers in districts 5 and 6 in Tehran City, Iran, in 2020. In total, 400 women who met the inclusion criteria were selected as the study participants using voluntary response and convenience sampling techniques. The required data were collected by the Emotional Divorce Scale, the Adult Attachment Scale, and the Self-Report Measure of Spiritual Intelligence. The collected data were analyzed using the multiple regression analysis method in SPSS V. 22. Results: The obtained results suggested a significant positive relationship between the anxious-avoidant attachment style and emotional divorce (P<0.01). Furthermore, there was a significant negative relationship between spiritual intelligence and emotional divorce; the higher the spiritual intelligence, the lower the emotional divorce (P=0.02). Accordingly, spiritual intelligence and anxious-avoidant attachment style can predict emotional divorce (Multiple Regressions= -0.58). Conclusion: The present study data suggested that premarital education and counseling before spouse selection help in examining the personality traits of the parties. Moreover, paying attention to the role of health professionals, such as family counselors, psychologists, and psychiatric nurses in providing premarital counseling and education to couples and emphasizing the role of spiritual intelligence and attachment styles may prevent emotional separation and divorce among couples.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Melina Skentzos ◽  
Anissa Naeli ◽  
Anastasia Hronis

AbstractSubstance Use Disorders (SUDs) are prevalent, long-term conditions, commonly treated via group intervention. Additionally, interpersonal learning (IL) is a therapeutic factor unique to group treatment programs, which has been associated with successful group therapy outcomes. While previous research has suggested attachment styles may predict experiences of IL within groups, research in this area is limited. Therefore, this study aims to investigate if attachment style impacts IL, within SUD group treatment programs and specifically, if anxious and avoidant attachment styles influence IL. Participants (N = 38) were recruited voluntarily from an outpatient SUD open group therapy program at a private mental health hospital in Sydney. All participants completed paper-based self-report questionnaires to assess attachment style and IL. Two separate Multiple Linear Regressions (MLRs) revealed anxious attachment was not a significant predictor of IL and avoidant attachment was a significant, negative predictor of IL. Additionally, thematic analysis of qualitative data revealed themes and behaviours which may improve IL. Thus, future directions and implications of the study’s findings indicate the need to conduct additional research into members attachment-based needs to enhance SUD group treatment outcomes.


2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (7) ◽  
pp. 966-987
Author(s):  
Meenakshi Menon ◽  
Harriet C. A. Moyes ◽  
Christina M. Bradley

We hypothesized that in adolescence, maladaptive narcissism interacts with low self-esteem to predict a preoccupied attachment style ( attachment for self-affirmation hypothesis), and with high self-esteem to predict an avoidant attachment style ( attachment for self-enhancement hypothesis). We expected gender differences in narcissistic adolescents’ attachment strategies, with girls more likely to be motivated to self-affirm, and boys more likely to self-enhance. Early adolescents in England ( N = 306, 156 girls, 150 boys, [Formula: see text] age = 13.38 years) responded to self-report measures of narcissism, self-esteem, and attachment styles to mother and a friend. Results supported the attachment for self-enhancement hypothesis only. For adolescent boys (but not girls) with high self-esteem, narcissism was associated with higher avoidant attachment toward the mother and a friend. The results suggest that maladaptive narcissism might derail normative separation-individuation processes in adolescent boys, thus contributing to their adoption of an avoidant attachment style with close relationship partners.


2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 120-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise Davis ◽  
Sophia Jowett

The present preliminary study aimed to develop and examine the psychometric properties of a new sport-specific self-report instrument designed to assess athletes’ and coaches’ attachment styles. The development and initial validation comprised three main phases. In Phase 1, a pool of items was generated based on pre-existing self-report attachment instruments, modified to reflect a coach and an athlete’s style of attachment. In Phase 2, the content validity of the items was assessed by a panel of experts. A final scale was developed and administered to 405 coaches and 298 athletes (N = 703 participants). In Phase 3, confirmatory factor analysis of the obtained data was conducted to determine the final items of the Coach-Athlete Attachment Scale (CAAS). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed acceptable goodness of ft indexes for a 3-first order factor model as well as a 2-first order factor model for both the athlete and the coach data, respectively. A secure attachment style positively predicted relationship satisfaction, while an insecure attachment style was a negative predictor of relationship satisfaction. The CAAS revealed initial psychometric properties of content, factorial, and predictive validity, as well as reliability.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S925-S925
Author(s):  
Sumaiyah U Syed ◽  
Joan K Monin

Abstract Attachment theory emphasizes attachment security, providing and receiving communication of safety and emotional support, as one of the most fundamental needs in close relationships across the lifespan. Having an insecure attachment style, anxious or avoidant attachment, has been related to depressive symptoms in mostly young adult marriages. This study examined the interpersonal associations between attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and depressive symptoms in 98 older adult couples, using self-report measures. The Actor Partner Interdependence model was used to analyze the data. Results show that one partner’s anxious attachment was significantly positively associated with their own greater depressive symptoms (β=2.10, p=0.000). This effect was stronger for husbands than for wives (β=1.13, p=0.002). Results remained when controlling for age, physical functioning, marital length, and socio-demographics. There were no significant cross-partner associations. Findings suggest that attachment anxiety may be particularly impactful for depressive symptoms in husbands.


2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (8-9) ◽  
pp. 2597-2619 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian-Bin Li ◽  
Yi-Jia Guo ◽  
Elisa Delvecchio ◽  
Claudia Mazzeschi

Drawing on attachment theory, this study examined the associations among mothers’ self-report attachment styles (i.e., anxiety and avoidance), adolescents’ attachment to mother, and adolescents’ psychosocial adjustment (i.e., psychological difficulties, prosocial behavior, and self-control) in 425 Chinese mother–adolescent dyads. The results of path analysis based on the total sample showed that adolescents’ attachment to mother mediated the association between mothers’ avoidant, but not anxious, attachment style and adolescents’ psychosocial adjustment. Moreover, the results based on multigroup comparison suggested that while adolescents’ attachment to mother significantly mediated the “avoidant attachment–psychosocial adjustment” link for both early and middle adolescents, it significantly mediated the “anxious attachment–psychosocial adjustment” link only for middle adolescents. In addition, the association between mothers’ anxious attachment and adolescents’ attachment to mother was larger for middle than for early adolescents, while the association between adolescents’ attachment to mother and self-control was larger for early than for middle adolescents. These findings implicate the importance of mothers’ and adolescents’ secure attachment to positive youth development.


Author(s):  
Ina Grau ◽  
Jörg Doll

Abstract. Employing one correlational and two experimental studies, this paper examines the influence of attachment styles (secure, anxious, avoidant) on a person’s experience of equity in intimate relationships. While one experimental study employed a priming technique to stimulate the different attachment styles, the other involved vignettes describing fictitious characters with typical attachment styles. As the specific hypotheses about the single equity components have been developed on the basis of the attachment theory, the equity ratio itself and the four equity components (own outcome, own input, partner’s outcome, partner’s input) are analyzed as dependent variables. While partners with a secure attachment style tend to describe their relationship as equitable (i.e., they give and take extensively), partners who feel anxious about their relationship generally see themselves as being in an inequitable, disadvantaged position (i.e., they receive little from their partner). The hypothesis that avoidant partners would feel advantaged as they were less committed was only supported by the correlational study. Against expectations, the results of both experiments indicate that avoidant partners generally see themselves (or see avoidant vignettes) as being treated equitably, but that there is less emotional exchange than is the case with secure partners. Avoidant partners give and take less than secure ones.


Author(s):  
Wina Lova Riza

 This study aims to investigate the association between perceptions of childhood experiences with parents, attachment styles (avoidant, anxious/ambivalent, and security) in romantic relationships, and relationship satisfaction (satisfaction in relationships) with a sample of lecturers and employees of UBP in Karawang who have married or having a romantic relationship. The method used in this study is a regression method with the aim to find out the extent of the influence of one independent variable with the dependent variable. In other words, researchers intend to see the effect of variable attachment styles with relationship satisfaction. The research instrument used was to use two questionnaires with a Likert scale, namely the Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised (ECR-R) questionnaire and the relationship assessment scale. From the results of the study using multivariate correlation analysis with the SPSS 24 program, a significant value of 0.009 was obtained with a probability (p) of 0,000; because p <0.05, it indicates a significant relationship with a positive direction between attachment styles and relationship satisfaction. In addition, the following are the results of grouping the results of respondents' attachment style. From a total of 88 respondents, 50 of them (57%) have a fearful attachment style, 17 people (19%) have a dismissing attachment style, 11 people (13%) have a preocupied attachment style, and 10 (11%) have type of secure attachment style.   Keywords: Attachment Styles, Relationship Satisfication, Romantic Relationship  Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menyelidiki asosiasi antara persepsi pengalaman masa kanak-kanak dengan orang tua, attachment styles (avoidant, anxious/ambivalent, dan security) dalam hubungan romantis, dan relationship satisfacation (kepuasaan dalam hubungan) dengan sampel dosen dan karyawan UBP Karawang yang telah menikah atau sedang menjalani hubungan romantis. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode regresi dengan tujuan untuk mengetahui sejauh mana pengaruh satu variabel indenpenden dengan variabel dependen. Dengan kata lain, peneliti bermaksud untuk melihat pengaruh variabel attachment styles dengan relationship satisfaction. Instrumen penelitian yang digunakan adalah dengan menggunakan dua kuesioner dengan skala likert, yaitu kuesioner Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised (ECR-R) dan relationship assessment scale. Dari hasil penelitian dengan menggunakan analsis korelasi multivariat dengan program SPSS 24 diperoleh nilai signifikan sebesar 0,009 dengan probabilitas (p) 0,000; karena p < 0,05, maka menunjukkan adanya hubungan yang signifikan dengan arah positif antara attachment styles dengan relationship satisfaction. Sebagai tambahan, berikut dipaparkan hasil pengelompokkan hasil attachment style responden. Dari total 88 preponden, 50 orang diantaranya (57%) memiliki tipe fearful attachment style, 17 orang (19%) memiliki tipe dismissing attachment style, 11 orang (13%) memiliki tipe preocupied attachment style, dan 10 orang (11%) memiliki tipe secure attachment style.   Kata Kunci: Attachment Styles, Relationship Satisfication, Romantic Relationship


2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 142-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Mathews ◽  
J. Onwumere ◽  
S. Bissoli ◽  
M. Ruggeri ◽  
E. Kuipers ◽  
...  

Background.Attachment theory proposes that psychological functioning and affect regulations are influenced by the attachment we form with others. Early relationships with parents or caregivers lay the foundations for attachment styles. These styles are proposed to influence how we relate to others during our life can be modified by the relationships and events we experience in our lifespan. A secure attachment style is associated with a capacity to manage distress, comfort with autonomy and the ability to form relationships with others, whereas insecure attachment can lead to dysfunctional relationships, emotional and behaviour avoidance. Attachment theory provides a useful framework to inform our understanding of relationship difficulties in people with psychosis. This paper aims to complement recent systematic reviews by providing an overview of attachment theory, its application to psychosis, including an understanding of measurement issues and the clinical implications offered.Method.A narrative review was completed of the measures of attachment and parental bonding in psychosis. Its clinical implications are also discussed. The paper also explores the link between insecure attachment styles and illness course, social functioning and symptomatology. The following questions are addressed: What are the key attachment measures that have been used within the attachment and psychosis literature? What are the results of studies that have measured attachment or parental bonding in psychosis and what clinical implications can we derive from it? What are some of the key questions for future research from these findings in relation to the onset of psychosis research field?Results.The most commonly used measures of attachment in psychosis research are reviewed. Self-report questionnaires and semi-structured interviews have mainly been used to examine attachment styles in adult samples and in recent years comprise a measure specifically developed for a psychosis group. The review suggests that insecure attachment styles are common in psychosis samples. Key relationships were observed between insecure, avoidant and anxious attachment styles and psychosis development, expression and long-term outcome.Conclusions.Attachment theory can provide a useful framework to facilitate our understanding of interpersonal difficulties in psychosis that may predate its onset and impact on observed variability in outcomes, including treatment engagement. Greater attention should be given to the assessment of attachment needs and to the development of interventions that seek to compensate for these difficulties. However, further investigations are required on specifying the exact mechanisms by which specific attachment styles impact on the development of psychosis and its course.


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