Attachment Dimensions, Patterns Of Interaction During Conflict And Marital Satisfaction Among Married Individuals
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Date
2018-09
Authors
Marshina Juliza Mohd Hasim
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
This study aims to create a comprehensive model integrating adult romantic
attachment dimensions, patterns of interaction during conflict and marital satisfaction.
The application of Attachment Theory in this study was established via two
dimensions of anxiety and avoidance. This study comprises two parts. Part One of the
study examined the relationship between individual respondent’s childhood
attachment dimensions with mother, father, peers and adult romantic attachment
dimensions. Part Two of the study sought to determine if adult romantic attachment
dimensions acted as a predictor to marital satisfaction through the mediating role of
communication patterns during conflict. By means of survey method, data was
collected using self-reporting questionnaire involving 400 married individuals in the
state of Penang. Partial Least Squares (PLS) analysis was employed and result from
the analysis yielded all the constructs have composite reliability value of more than
0.6 and convergent and discriminant validity with an average variance extracted
(AVE) value greater than 0.50. The final model in Part One and Part Two recorded
high Goodness of Fit (GoF) values at 0.681 and 0.401 respectively. The first model in
Part One predicting on adult romantic attachment dimensions showed a strong
explanatory power with R2 values of 73% in anxiety with spouse and 63.9% in
avoidance with spouse. Additionally, the second model in Part Two indicated slightly
lower explanatory power with R2 value of 39.5% on marital satisfaction. The results
of Q2 tests proposed for both parts are well predicted by the model. Additionally results also suggested that constructive pattern mediated the relationship between
avoidance and marital satisfaction, destructive pattern mediated the relationship
between a) anxiety and marital satisfaction b) avoidance and marital satisfaction while
avoidance pattern mediated the relationship between anxiety and marital satisfaction.
In sum, this study provides stronger evidence on the enduring effect of childhood
attachment on adult romantic attachment dimensions. Theoretically, the current study
also has contributed towards the development of a comprehensive model that
integrates attachment dimensions, communication patterns during conflict and marital
satisfaction. From practitioners’ perspective, the finding has pointed out the
importance of conducting proper assessment of attachment dimensions and patterns of
interaction during conflict among couples during counselling and therapy sessions.
Description
Keywords
Communication