Differences in Relationship Quality and Dyadic Coping for Attachment-related Couple Types

Gagliardi S, Bodenmann G, Heinrichs N, Bertoni AMM, Iafrate R, Donato S. Differences in Relationship Quality and Dyadic Coping for Attachment-related Couple Types. Ppmp - Psychotherapie · Psychosomatik · Medizinische Psychologie. 2013;63(05):185-192.Attachment is associated with important relationship characteristics. Based on partners' scores of attachment dimensions anxiety and avoidance a cluster analysis with 304 couples was conducted and it was examined whether attachment-related couple types differ in self-reported relationship quality and dyadic coping. 3 couple types were identified: secure couples (N = 114, both partners with low scores on anxiety and avoidance), fearful-avoidant couples (N = 62, both partners with higher scores on both attachment dimensions than secure couples) and mixed-couples (N = 128, men with higher anxiety scores than women). Secure couples reported better relationship quality as well as more positive and less negative dyadic coping compared to fearful-avoidant and mixed couples. Findings are discussed regarding the inclusion of partners' attachment characteristics in diagnostics and marital therapy