anxiety (Fraley and Shaver 2000). Individuals featured by avoidance aPachment style tend to avoid closeness and interdependence with the partner while ...
The influence of adult a0achment and conflict management on dyadic cohesion: a pilot study 1 1 2 3 1 1 Gnazzo A. , Guerriero V. , de Campora G. , Giromini L. , Chiarolanza C. , ZavaEni G.C.
IntroducJon
(1) Department of dynamic and clinical psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy (2) Department of Pedagogy, Psychology, Philosophy, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy (3) Department of Psychology University of Turin, Italy
Literature has largely showed that the quality of couple adjustment is related to the adult a8achment style (Li & Chan, 2012; Meyers and Landsberger 2002). The adult a8achment style is conceptualized along two dimensions of a8achment avoidance and a8achment anxiety (Fraley and Shaver 2000). Individuals featured by avoidance a8achment style tend to avoid closeness and interdependence with the partner while individuals featured by anxiety a8achment style tend show fear of rejecLon or abandonment (Fraley and Shaver 2000). Regarding the individual differences in interpersonal competence in handling conflicts, literature has showed that individuals with secure a8achment style are expected to cope more effecLvely with relaLonship conflict than those individuals with insecure a8achment style (Mikulincer and Shaver, 2012). Indeed, secure adults are likely to show open communicaLon and collaboraLve negoLaLon during conflict, and to rely on effecLve conflict-resoluLon strategies, such as compromising and integraLng ones’ own and a partner’s needs and behaviors (Mikulincer and Shaver, 2012). A8achment theory provides a framework to understand different ways to face to the emerging conflicts as well as to increase our knowledge on marital adjustment.
Method Aim The current pilot study examined the role of individual ability in handling conflicts, and the influence of the adult a8achment styles on the quality of marital adjustment of 32 married or cohabitant subjects. Procedure We administered Experience in Close RelaLonship-Revised (ECR-R; Busonera, San MarLni, ZavaYni & Santona, 2014), Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS; GenLli, Contreras, CassaniL, & D'arista, 2002), and Interpersonal Competence QuesLonnaire-Revised (ICQ-R; Giromini et al., 2016). Data Analyses and Partecipants For the purpose of this study a mulLple regression model was performed with dyadic cohesion (DAS) as criterion variables and avoidant a8achment style (ECR-R) and conflict management (ICQ-R) as predictor. ParLcipants were 32 cohabitant/married subject (16 males, and 16 females) (14 cohabitant, and 18 married). Mean age of male parLcipants was 35.44 (SD = 3.89) while the mean age of female parLcipants was 33.38 (SD = 3.55). At the Lme of data collecLon, all parLcipants had been involved in a romanLc relaLonship of at least 5 years duraLon. A mean relaLonship length of parLcipants was 8.13 years (SD = 2.78).
Results
The results indicate that the adult a8achment styles and the ability to manage conflicts did not influence the total couple adjustment. 2 Despite this, a significant regression equaLon was found regarding the dyadic cohesion F(2,29)=10.696; p< .001, with R of .425. ParLcipants’ predicted dyadic cohesion (DAS) is equal to 13.795 – 2.267 (avoidant a0achment style) + 2.463 (conflict management). Indeed, lower scores of avoidance and higher scores in the ability to handle conflicts posiLvely influence the dialogue and the dyadic abiliLes to share acLviLes and interest within the couple. Both avoidant a8achment style (p< .05) and conflict management (p
