Parental Attachment, Adult-Child Romantic Attachment, and Marital Satisfaction: An Examination of Cultural Context in Taiwanese and Thai Heterosexual Couples

Abstract

Relationship dynamics between married couples can differ considerably, with varying impacts on relationship satisfaction. However, very limited research attention has been paid to how intergenerational attachment, relating to an individual’s perception of his/her own and that of his/her parents’ attachment, can affect marital dynamics within different cultural contexts. The current study examined associations between married heterosexual couples’ romantic attachment, perception of parental attachment, and marital satisfaction in 100 Thai couples (M age = 45.59 years, SD = 10.86) and 73 Taiwanese couples (M age = 39.55 years, SD = 9.13). Results revealed that romantic attachment anxiety was negatively associated with marital satisfaction in the Taiwanese couples; in the Thai couples, neither romantic attachment anxiety nor avoidance was associated with marital satisfaction. Husbands reported higher romantic attachment anxiety than their wives in Taiwan, but this was not observed in the Thai couples. Taiwanese wives reported higher scores on their perceived parental attachment avoidance than did their husbands; whereas the reverse trend was observed in the Thai couples. These findings highlight the need to consider intergenerational aspects of attachment in cultural contexts, and they have important implications for practitioners working with couples from Asian cultural backgrounds.

On the Causal Relationship Between Attachment Styles and Marital Satisfaction: Mediating Role of Gottman's Marital Communication Model

“…According to the present findings, Gotman's communication skills play a mediating role in avoidance-insecure attachment and marital satisfaction relationships. This finding is consistent with those reported by Huang et al (20), Mirhashemi and Akbarimoghadam (21), Arefi and Mohsenzadeh (18), Timm, and Keiley (19), and Candel and Turliuc (3). Couples with the avoidance-attachment style find intimacy worthless and fail to trust in their spouses.…”

“…The present study documented that Gotman's communication skills play a mediating role in the relationship between anxiety attachment and organizational marital satisfaction. The findings are consistent with those reported by Candel and Turliuc (3), Mirhashemi and Akbarimoghadam ( 21), Azizi and Beyranvand (17), Chung (12), and Huang et al (20). Anxiously attached spouses frequently contact their spouse, leave messages constantly, and are anxious about where their spouse is and what he/she is doing (5).…”

“…In their study, Timm and Keiley (19) showed a positive relationship between the secure attachment style and marital satisfaction and a significant negative relationship between the avoidance-attachment style and marital satisfaction. Moreover, Huang et al (20) and Mirhashemi and Akbarimoghadam (21) concluded a significant relationship between Gottman's communication skills and relationship satisfaction. Candel and Turliuc (3) introduced the relationship between anxiety and avoidance attachment as a predictor of marital satisfaction and divorce and explained that Gottman's communication skills affected the relationship between marital satisfaction and attachment styles.…”

Married life: Measuring adult romantic attachment and satisfaction.

“…Based on the findings of the study, it can be summarized that the attachment styles of Malaysian couples are culturally based or, in other words, determined by culture. This finding aligned with a comprehensive review by Huang et al (2020) who compared the differences of attachment styles between 62 regions in Southeast Asia and East Asia which showed that attachment styles are different from one region to another. Additionally, secure romantic attachment style was also found as a normative form in most (79%) cultures examined but not in all cultures (Schmitt, et al, 2004), which proved that secure is not a common style in all regions.…”

“…Thus, there is continued controversy over the debate of attachment theory. According to Huang et al (2020), the cross-cultural research in the area of adult romantic attachment is still limited although cultural beliefs might help to explain different patterns of romantic attachment. This is an area in which more research is urgently needed as most of the cross-cultural comparisons focused on infant–mother attachment (Cowan & Cowan, 2007).…”