The Role of Attachment Behaviors in the Link between Relationship Satisfaction and Depression in Clinical Couples: Implications for Clinical Practice.
Using dyadic, clinical data from 104 couples in committed relationships, the purpose of this study was to determine whether relationship satisfaction was associated with depression through perceived partner attachment behaviors-accessibility, responsiveness, and engagement-for both men and women. We found that one's satisfaction in the relationship was the lens through which they viewed their partner's attachment behaviors and-women's relationship satisfaction was the lens through which her male partner viewed her attachment behaviors. Finally, women's relationship satisfaction is associated with both individuals' depression through her perceived partner's accessibility, responsiveness, and engagement. The findings from this study are important because they provide clinically relevant and mutable constructs in which clinicians can intervene at an attachment level in distressed marriages with depressed partners.
Utah State University.
Joshua R
JR
Novak
Brigham Young University.
Jonathan G
JG
Sandberg
Brigham Young University.
Stephanie Y
SY
Davis
D000328:Adult; D019546:Couples Therapy / Q000379:methods; D003863:Depression; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009769:Object Attachment; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*
attachment behaviors; depression; dyadic data; mediation mod; relationship satisfaction