scholarly journals The Relationship between Attachment Styles, Love Types, Emotional Expression, and Life Satisfaction

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seda Merve Şahin ◽  
Sami Çoksan

The current study examines the association between attachment styles in romantic relations and love type preference, emotional expression, and life satisfaction. Two hundred twenty-six volunteers participated in the study. Results showed that participants who were securely attached to their romantic partners preferred Eros love type more, while participants who were insecurely attached to their romantic partners decided on Ludus, Pragma, and Mania love types. There was no difference between secure and insecure attachment styles in terms of Storge and Agape love types. Moreover, there was no difference between groups in terms of general emotional expression. Participants who were securely attached had higher life satisfaction than those who were insecure. It is argued that differentiation power on emotional expression and life satisfaction might be obtained with studies about attachment styles in the romantic relationship.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne K. Reitz ◽  
Rebekka Weidmann ◽  
Jenna Wünsche ◽  
Janina Larissa Buehler ◽  
Robert Philip Burriss ◽  
...  

This study examines the impact of bereavement on self-esteem and life satisfaction in both partners of a romantic couple. We investigate the moderating effects of the type of the lost relationship (close family, close friends/others) and romantic relationship characteristics (daily social support, responsiveness-closeness, self-disclosure). We examined 1,238 individuals in 619 male-female couples from the ages 18 to 81 (M[SD] = 31.97 years [13.26]). Both partners completed questionnaires at two assessments that were 20 months (SD = 2.02 months) apart, in between which n = 216 individuals were bereaved. Actor-partner interdependence models showed that bereavement did not predict later self-esteem or life satisfaction in either of the partners. The relationship characteristics and the type of lost relationship did not moderate the effects. The subjective meaning and distress of the loss predicted later self-esteem and life satisfaction. The self-esteem increase was larger for bereaved with a positive/neutral than for bereaved with a negative meaning. We found a partner effect on self-esteem for the group of bereaved who reported a negative meaning. The findings demonstrate that bereavement can impact romantic partners' self-esteem and that the subjective experience of bereavement helps understand individual differences in the effect of bereavement on self-esteem and life satisfaction.


2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (11) ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Dekuo Liang ◽  
Lei Wang ◽  
Liying Xia ◽  
Dawei Xu

Little is known regarding the life satisfaction of rural-to-urban migrants in China. In this study we assessed whether self-esteem and perceived social support mediated the association between rural-to-urban migrants' acculturative stress and life satisfaction. We use convenience sampling to recruit 712 migrants who were employed at construction sites in Nanjing for the study. Results reveal that acculturative stress was negatively related to self-esteem, perceived social support, and life satisfaction; self-esteem was positively associated with perceived social support and life satisfaction; and perceived social support was a significant and positive predictor of life satisfaction. In addition, we found that self-esteem and perceived social support partially mediated the relationship between acculturative stress and life satisfaction. Our findings provide a better understanding of life satisfaction over the course of migration, and add to knowledge of psychological well-being and mental health among rural-to-urban migrants in China.


2021 ◽  
pp. 088626052199458
Author(s):  
Elle P. Johnson ◽  
Jennifer A. Samp

Impelled by a desire to control, suppress, and deny emotional response, stoic individuals may act out their pent-up emotions on relational partners by provoking conflict and/or engaging in partner-directed violent and aggressive behaviors. However, little is known regarding what factors can push stoics over the edge from remaining quiet or avoiding revealing frustrations to initiating aggressive behavior. This relationship between stoicism and aggression is important to consider in serial arguments, where the repetitive nature of a conflict may become increasingly difficult for stoics to manage internally. Here, we examined the influence of stoicism on verbal aggression in serial arguments between romantic partners. We additionally considered the effects of power, perceived resolvability, and argument frequency on the relationship between stoicism and verbal aggression. Using a survey design with a sample of 281 individuals involved in a romantic relationship, we observed that stoicism is positively associated with verbal aggression in serial arguments. While perceived power and resolvability did not moderate the relationship between stoicism and verbal aggression, argument frequency about a serial argument topic was a significant moderator. The results of this study imply that stoicism plays an important role in explaining aggressive tactics in conflict. A high argument frequency about a conflict topic may lead to a buildup of unexpressed emotions, particularly anger, in stoic individuals, resulting in an explosive release of violence and aggression toward a romantic partner. Unique results on the relationship between stoicism and power and directions for future research are discussed.


2014 ◽  
Vol 45 (7) ◽  
pp. 1495-1507 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Wickham ◽  
K. Sitko ◽  
R. P. Bentall

BackgroundA growing body of research has investigated associations between insecure attachment styles and psychosis. However, despite good theoretical and epidemiological reasons for hypothesising that insecure attachment may be specifically implicated in paranoid delusions, few studies have considered the role it plays in specific symptoms.MethodWe examined the relationship between attachment style, paranoid beliefs and hallucinatory experiences in a sample of 176 people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorders and 113 healthy controls. We also investigated the possible role of negative self-esteem in mediating this association.ResultsInsecure attachment predicted paranoia but not hallucinations after co-morbidity between the symptoms was controlled for. Negative self-esteem partially mediated the association between attachment anxiety and clinical paranoia, and fully mediated the relationship between attachment avoidance and clinical paranoia.ConclusionsIt may be fruitful to explore attachment representations in psychological treatments for paranoid patients. If future research confirms the importance of disrupted attachment as a risk factor for persecutory delusions, consideration might be given to how to protect vulnerable young people, for example those raised in children's homes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-64
Author(s):  
Katherine Knies ◽  
Elizabeth A. Bodalski ◽  
Kate Flory

Prior literature indicates that insecure attachment styles (i.e., anxious or avoidant) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) both have negative impacts on romantic relationships, but relatively little is known about how these factors interact among couples where one partner has ADHD and the other does not. One hundred and fifty-nine partners of adults with significant ADHD symptoms completed measures of their own attachment styles, their partner’s ADHD symptoms, and relationship quality. Anxious attachment was associated with lower romantic relationship quality, but avoidant attachment was associated with more positive relationship outcomes. Results also indicated that the negative effect of ADHD symptoms on romantic relationship quality may be exacerbated by a partner’s high level of anxious attachment. Though insecure attachment styles are generally thought to have a negative impact on romantic relationships, avoidant attachment was generally associated with more positive outcomes in this study. Several possible explanations based on theoretical support are included in the discussion along with clinical applications and future directions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 572-589
Author(s):  
Nathan W. Hudson ◽  
Richard E. Lucas ◽  
M. Brent Donnellan

Previous research suggests both relationship status and relationship quality correlate with well-being. The present study extended these findings in three ways. First, we benchmarked individuals with various-quality relationships against uncoupled people to determine whether even low-quality relationships are associated with greater well-being than being unpartnered. Second, research suggests global well-being (e.g., life satisfaction) and experiential well-being (e.g., momentary affect) oftentimes have different predictors. Thus, we tested whether individuals report greater experiential well-being while with their partners. Finally, we examined whether daily time invested into one’s relationship predicted well-being. Results indicated that being in a romantic relationship, interacting with one’s partner, and investing greater time into the relationship all predicted greater well-being. However, these effects were moderated by relationship quality, such that being in even relatively neutral relationships and interacting therein were associated with lower well-being than being unpartnered.


2013 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Smith ◽  
Emma Massey

Two studies are reported which explore romance as a means of terror management for participants with secure and insecure attachment styles. Mikulincer and Florian (2000) have shown that while mortality salience increases the desire for intimacy in securely attached individuals, the insecurely attached use cultural world views rather than close relationships to cope with fear of death. Study 1 used the romantic belief scale to compare the effects of attachment style and mortality salience on the cultural aspects of close relationships and showed that the only the insecurely attached were more romantic following mortality salience. Study 2 replicated this effect and demonstrated that this difference was not simply due to lower self-esteem in the insecurely attached. The additional inclusion of the Relationship assessment questionnaire failed to provide any evidence that the securely attached were affected by the mortality salience manipulation, even on a more interpersonal measure.


2003 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 519-531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inge Seiffge-Krenke

In an 8-year prospective study conducted on 103 subjects, the developmental sequence of and the factors contributing to a bonded romantic outcome in young adulthood were investigated. The subjects’ self-concepts and their relationships with mothers, fathers, and same-sex friends were assessed at the ages of 13, 15, and 17 years. Having a romantic partner and the quality of relationships with romantic partners were assessed at ages 13, 15, 17, and 21 years. Evidence was found for a developmental sequence in romance with respect to differences in the quality and duration of romantic relationships over time. Factor analysis revealed that at age 21, bonded romantic love emerged as a romantic outcome. Two models of romantic relationship development, varying in complexity, were tested. The results revealed that support from parents, friends, and romantic partners as well as self-concept contributed differently to the prediction of bonded love at age 21. Regression analyses revealed that at age of 13, during the initiation phase, the self-concept contributed significantly to the prediction of bonded love in young adulthood. Similarly, during the affection phase, at age 17, the quality of the relationship with the romantic partner was predictive of bonded love in early adulthood. The results were less clear at age 15, during the status phase. In addition, it was found that the importance of the romantic partner as support provider increased as the relationship developed. Contrary to expectations, peer support was found to be important only during later stages of romantic development.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-30
Author(s):  
Danica J. Kulibert ◽  
Elle A. Moore ◽  
Melinda M. Dertinger ◽  
Ashley E. Thompson

Although romantic kissing is an important part of relationship functioning, little research has focused on motives for romantic kissing and how they may relate to other aspects of romantic relationships. To understand how romantic kissing impacts romantic relationship functioning, the current study assessed the relationship between romantic attachment, romantic kissing motives, and relationship satisfaction. Overall, it was hypothesized that (a) those reporting more sexual/explicit kissing motives and fewer goal attainment/insecurity motives would report higher relationship satisfaction, (b) those reporting a more secure attachment style would report higher relationship satisfaction, and (c) the relationship between romantic kissing motives and relationship satisfaction would vary according to one’s romantic attachment styles. Results from a hierarchical linear regression with 286 adults, all of whom were currently in romantic relationships, revealed that sexual/relational (β = 0.25) and goal attainment/insecurity kissing motives (β = -0.35) predicted relationship satisfaction. However, the impact of kissing motives on relationship satisfaction varied according to one’s romantic attachment. Specifically, the influence of sexual/relational motives was only significant for avoidantly attached individuals, whereas the influence of goal attainment/insecurity motives was significant for avoidantly and anxiously attachment individuals. Overall, this suggests that sexual/explicit romantic kissing motives serve to enhance the relationships of insecurely attached individuals, but not securely attached individuals. Furthermore, goal attainment/insecure motives had a negative effect on the relationship satisfaction of insecurely attached individuals, but not securely attached individuals. This study has important implications for both practitioners working with romantic couples and researchers studying romantic relationships.


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