TY - JOUR
T1 - Attachment and relational satisfaction
T2 - The mediating effect of emotional communication
AU - Guerrero, Laura
AU - Farinelli, Lisa
AU - McEwan, Bree
PY - 2009/12/1
Y1 - 2009/12/1
N2 - This study investigated associations among one partner's relational satisfaction and the other partner's style of attachment and emotional communication. Findings from a questionnaire study involving 581 couples showed that participants reported more relational satisfaction when their partners scored high in security and low in dismissiveness and preoccupation. These associations between one's relational satisfaction and the partner's attachment style were partially mediated by how the partner reported communicating emotions. Specifically, participants were less satisfied in relationships with preoccupied partners who reported expressing anger using destructive communication. Participants were less satisfied with dismissive partners who reported using detached emotional communication. Finally, participants were more satisfied with secure partners who reported using prosocial emotional communication. These findings suggest that the often-cited relationship between attachment and relational satisfaction is partially explained by emotional communication.
AB - This study investigated associations among one partner's relational satisfaction and the other partner's style of attachment and emotional communication. Findings from a questionnaire study involving 581 couples showed that participants reported more relational satisfaction when their partners scored high in security and low in dismissiveness and preoccupation. These associations between one's relational satisfaction and the partner's attachment style were partially mediated by how the partner reported communicating emotions. Specifically, participants were less satisfied in relationships with preoccupied partners who reported expressing anger using destructive communication. Participants were less satisfied with dismissive partners who reported using detached emotional communication. Finally, participants were more satisfied with secure partners who reported using prosocial emotional communication. These findings suggest that the often-cited relationship between attachment and relational satisfaction is partially explained by emotional communication.
KW - Attachment
KW - Emotion
KW - Emotional communication
KW - Relational satisfaction
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=70949102062&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=70949102062&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/03637750903300254
DO - 10.1080/03637750903300254
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:70949102062
SN - 0363-7751
VL - 76
SP - 487
EP - 514
JO - Communication Monographs
JF - Communication Monographs
IS - 4
ER -