Jealousy, Intimacy, and Couple Satisfaction: A Romantic Attachment Perspective

Abstract

The overarching objective of this study was to examine a novel model investigating romantic attachment as a moderator of the relation between an individual's jealousy, or their perception of their partner's jealousy, and one's couple satisfaction. The sample comprised of 502 university students currently involved in a relationship of at least 12 months. An original and comprehensive model concurrently investigating emotional, cognitive, and behavioural facets of jealousy was employed. The implementation of hierarchical models revealed that cognitive jealousy was negatively associated with couple satisfaction, whereas emotional jealousy demonstrated a positive association; behavioural jealousy did not add incremental value in one's couple satisfaction when assessed alongside the aforementioned facets of jealousy. Results were applicable to both one's own and one's perception of their partner's jealousy for each respective facet. Cognitive jealousy was demonstrated to explain the greatest variance in one's couple satisfaction when contrasted with emotional and behavioural jealousy. Findings also revealed romantic attachment as a moderator of the relation between certain facets of jealousy and couple satisfaction, with attachment anxiety and avoidance leading to a strengthened or weakened relation, respectively. As such, results suggest that the negative and positive consequences of jealousy on couple satisfaction may be exacerbated amongst those exhibiting higher attachment anxiety. Gender effects were not demonstrated amongst any relations examined. The applied and clinical implications of all findings are discussed.