Attachment style and relationship satisfaction: Test of a self-disclosure explanation.

Abstract

A self-disclosure explanation for why those with a secure attachment style report greater relationship satisfaction than those with alternate attachment styles was explored. Participants with different attachment styles were compared in terms of the self-disclosures they directed toward their partner and a stranger, using both questionnaire and behavioural measures. Behavioural self-disclosure was assessed by having participants give extemporaneous talks on different topics, while anticipating that either their current partner or an opposite-sex stranger would later hear it. As expected, those with a secure attachment style disclosed more intimately to their partners than to strangers; whereas those with fearful, preoccupied, or dismissing attachment styles did not. Moreover, secures disclosed more personal facts to their partners than to strangers and were also perceived as more comfortable while self-disclosing to partners than to strangers. Finally, support for the hypothesis that selfdisclosure mediates the relation between attachment style and relationship satisfaction was found on one component of self-disclosure: namely, facilitative disclosure -a component which included both reported self-disclosure to one's partner and self-rated ability to elicit disclosure from others. Implications of these findings for attachment style differences in relationship development are discussed.

How Adult Attachment Styles Relate to Perceived Psychological Contract Breach and Affective Organizational Commitment

“…Higher levels of the preoccupied attachment style relate to significantly higher levels of perceived psychological contract breach and lower levels of organizational commitment. This finding is consistent with prior work showing that preoccupied individuals have difficulty forming close relationships (Keelan et al 1998) and report more negative reactions to their work environment (Hazan and Shaver 1990;Sumer and Knight 2001).…”

“…The result is that secure individuals are comfortable with intimacy and at the same time exhibit a low dependence on others for self-acceptance (Bartholomew and Horowitz 1991;Lopez and Gormley 2002). Research has found that securely attached individuals often report higher levels of satisfaction, trust, and commitment in their relationships, and the relationships of secure individuals often tend to be more stable Employ Respons Rights J and longer in duration than those of insecurely attached individuals (e.g., Collins 1996;Hazan and Shaver 1987;Keelan et al 1998).…”

“…Preoccupied individuals often possess strong feelings of personal insecurity, have more intense and expressive emotional experiences, and exhibit a high level of interpersonal problems (Bartholomew and Horowitz 1991;Collins 1996;Vrticka et al 2012). As a result, preoccupied individuals report low levels of trust, satisfaction, and commitment in their relationships, despite the fact that they desire the acceptance of others (Keelan et al 1998). Hazan and Shaver (1990) found that preoccupied individuals had high levels of job insecurity, felt they were unappreciated by co-workers, and had greater dissatisfaction.…”

Mood and interpersonal functioning in heavy smokers

“…Consistent with this idea, links have been suggested between early attachment experiences and later adult attachment styles in romantic relationships (Hazan & Shaver, 1987;Pistole, 1989). A variety of evidence indicates that adults who have a secure attachment style report more intimacy in their romantic relationships (Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991), higher relationship quality (Feeney, Noller & Callan, 1994;Keelan, Dion & Dion, 1998), fewer interpersonal problems (Pistole, 1989) and greater relationship length (Feeney, 1996;Feeney & Noller, 1990) (Brennan & Shaver, 1995;Burge et al, 1997;Cooper et al, 1998;Ognibene & Collins, 1998).…”

Relationship between the Social Cognition and Object Relations Scale (SCORS) and attachment style in a clinical sample

“…This can result in more clinging and controlling behaviours. In addition, they often view their self-worth in relation to others responding to them with love and support (Calabrese et al, 2005;Carnelley, Pietromonaco, & Jaffe, 1994;Collins & Read, 1990;Keelan, Dion, & Dion, 1998;Levy and Davis, 1998;Mikulincer & Nachshon, 1991;Mikulincer & Orbach, 1995;Mikulincer, Orbach & Iavnieli, 1998;Pistole, 1989;Shaver & Mikulincer, 2002). A limited negative relationship was found between the RQ's Preoccupied Attached and SCORS SC, suggesting that these patients had a more diffi cult time describing interpersonal events in logical, organized and coherent fashion.…”