Re-Examining the Role of Adult Attachment as a Predictor of Relationship Satisfaction in Heterosexual Romantic Relationships When Other Relationship Variables are Taken Into Consideration.

This research examined the association between adult attachment and relationship satisfaction in heterosexual romantic relationships when other relationship variables are also taken into consideration. 238 participants completed a questionnaire that included an adult attachment measure, a relationship satisfaction measure and a new measure that derived from previous research. Exploratory factor analysis of the new measure yielded 3 factors. These were termed: 'sharing and mutual adaptation 'pressure from work commitments ' and 'influenced by others ' relationships '. Results indicated that the link between attachment and relationship satisfaction was much weaker when the 3 factors were examined in combination with attachment as predictors of relationship satisfaction. 'Sharing and mutual adaptation a scale that measured degree of similarity, sharing and adaptation between romantic partners, emerged as the most important predictor of relationship satisfaction. 'Influenced by others ' relationships ', a scale that overall measured the degree to which participants used other people's romantic relationships as a measure of comparison and as a source of influence for their relationship, was also a significant predictor of relationship satisfaction. Overall, the results suggest that other relationship variables such as those measured by the 'sharing and mutual adaptation ' and the 'influenced by others 'relationships' scales may play a much more defining role than attachment in relationship satisfaction. Implications of these results for theory, practice and future research are discussed