Attachment and conflict communication in adult romantic relationships

Abstract

This study explored the connections between adult attachment styles (i.e., secure, preoccupied, fearful-avoidant, dismissing) and communication patterns during conflict (i.e., mutual constructive, demand-withdraw, mutual avoidance, and withholding). Specifically, this study examined how the combination of both partners’ attachment styles, or couple type (i.e., secure-secure, secure-insecure, insecure-insecure), related to self-reported conflict communication patterns. Couples had been together for at least two years (i.e., in a dating, cohabitating, engaged, or marital relationship). Participants included 43 different-sex couples and 10 same-sex couples, who lived primarily in a large metropolitan area in the southwestern US. Secure-secure couples reported the most mutually constructive communication, while the insecure-insecure couples group reported the most demand-withdraw and mutual avoidance and withholding communication. Implications for counseling with couples and families are discussed.