Date of Award
Summer 2007
Document Type
Dissertation - Restricted
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Grych, John
Second Advisor
Oswald, Debra
Third Advisor
Franzoi, Stephen
Abstract
Research examining the associations between conflict in relationships and relationship satisfaction has failed to pay sufficient attention to the powerful role of emotions and it is suggested that attachment theory may serve as a guide to understand how these variables are connected. A model was tested to examine the association between attachment, emotions and behaviors during conflict, and relationship satisfaction in a sample of 151 couples. At two time points, spaced one year apart, couples completed self-report measures and engaged in a conflict discussion. Attachment anxiety predicted negative emotions during conflict, which in turn predicted decreased positivity during conflict. Attachment anxiety predicted increased verbal aggression during conflict, while attachment avoidance predicted decreased relationship satisfaction one year later. Path modeling suggested a good fit with the data (GFI = .96). The results point to the importance of considering attachment anxiety and avoidance in the planning and implementation of therapeutic interventions for individuals and couples experiencing relationship difficulties.