Attachment Styles, Self-Esteem, Flexible Goal Adjustment, and Intimate Relationship Satisfaction in Women: A Moderated Mediation Model

Abstract

The present study aimed to examine the psychological mechanism underlying the relationship between attachment style and intimate relationship satisfaction in women. For this purpose, a cross-sectional research design was employed in which 233 women (M age = 28.16 years) who were currently in a romantic relationship completed a questionnaire that assessed attachment style, relationship satisfaction, self-esteem, and flexible goal adjustment (FGA). The results showed that both high attachment anxiety and high attachment avoidance were associated with low relationship satisfaction. Self-esteem mediated the relationship between attachment insecurity and relationship satisfaction. Moreover, the mediation effect of self-esteem was moderated by FGA, such that only in women with high FGA was self-esteem a significant mediator in the relationship between an insecure attachment style and relationship satisfaction. The results have implications for enhancing women’s relationship satisfaction.