Marital Quality and Attachment: The Mediator Role of Conflict Resolution Styles

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Abstract

Certain variables can act as mediators between marital quality, social and emotional aspects of the individuals and their context. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of conflict resolution styles as mediators between attachment styles and marital quality. A total of 214 couples participated in the present study aged between 18 and 75 years, residents in Southern Brazil. Three scales were administered: The Conflict Resolution Style Inventory, Golombok Rust Inventory of Marital State and Adult Attachment Scale. Results indicate that the styles of conflict resolution (positive problem solving, conflict engagement, withdrawal and compliance) mediate the relationship between attachment and marital quality. A difference between husbands and wives was observed. These findings suggest the importance of expanding the repertoire of positive strategies of conflict resolution of the couples for the promotion of marital quality.

Translated abstract

Determinadas variables pueden actuar como mediadoras entre la calidad conyugal, los aspectos socio-emocionales de las parejas y su contexto. El objetivo de este estudio fue verificar si los estilos de resolución de conflicto actúan como mediadores de la relación entre los estilos de apego y la calidad conyugal. Participaron de la investigación 214 parejas, entre 18 y 75 años, residentes en el sur de Brasil. Fueron utilizados cuatro instrumentos: The Conflict Resolution Style Inventory, Golombok Rust Inventory of Marital State y Escala de Apego Adulto. Los resultados mostraron que los estilos de resolución de conflictos (resolución positiva de los problemas, participación en el conflicto, eliminación y sumisión) mediaron la relación entre apego y calidad conyugal, observándose una diferencia entre maridos y esposas. Esos hallazgos sugieren la importancia de ampliación del repertorio de estrategias positivas de resolución de conflictos para las parejas visando a promover la calidad conyugal.

Translated abstract

Determinadas variáveis podem atuar como mediadoras entre a qualidade conjugal, os aspectos socioemocionais dos casais e seu contexto. O objetivo deste estudo foi testar se os estilos de resolução de conflitos atuam como mediadores da relação entre os estilos de apego e a qualidade conjugal. Participaram da pesquisa 214 casais, com idade entre 18 e 75 anos, residentes na região sul do Brasil. Foram utilizados quatro instrumentos: questionário sociodemográfico, The Conflict Resolution Style Inventory, Golombok Rust Inventory of Marital State e Escala de Apego Adulto. Os resultados apontaram que os estilos de resolução de conflitos (resolução positiva dos problemas, envolvimento no conflito, afastamento e submissão) mediaram a relação entre o apego e a qualidade conjugal, sendo observada uma diferença entre maridos e esposas. Esses achados sugerem a importância da ampliação do repertório de estratégias positivas de resolução de conflitos para o casal visando à promoção da qualidade conjugal.

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When "negative" behaviors are positive: a contextual analysis of the long-term effects of problem-solving behaviors on changes in relationship satisfaction.

James K McNulty, V Russell (2010)

How should partners discuss the problems that arise over the course of their intimate relationships? Prior studies have provided inconsistent answers to this question, with some suggesting that partners benefit by avoiding negative behaviors and others suggesting that partners benefit by engaging in negative behaviors. The 2 longitudinal studies of newlyweds described here reconcile these inconsistent findings by revealing that direct negative problem-solving behaviors interact with the severity of the problems couples face in their relationships to account for changes in relationship satisfaction. Whereas spouses' tendencies to blame, command, and reject their partners predicted steeper declines in their own marital satisfaction when exhibited in the context of relationships facing only minor problems, those same behaviors predicted more stable satisfaction in relationships facing more severe problems. Subsequent analyses revealed that changes in the severity of the problems themselves mediated these effects. By contrast, indirect negative communications were associated with stably lower levels of satisfaction regardless of problem severity. The current findings join others in highlighting the theoretical importance of accounting for the relational context when examining the implications of various interpersonal processes.

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Recovering from conflict in romantic relationships: a developmental perspective.

Sally I-Chun Kuo, James W. Collins, Laura D. Steele … (2011)

This study adopted a developmental perspective on recovery from conflict in romantic relationships. Participants were 73 young adults (target participants), studied since birth, and their romantic partners. A novel observational coding scheme was used to evaluate each participant's degree of conflict recovery, operationalized as the extent to which the participant disengaged from conflict during a 4-min "cool-down" task immediately following a 10-min conflict discussion. Conflict recovery was systematically associated with developmental and dyadic processes. Targets who were rated as securely attached more times in infancy recovered from conflict better, as did their romantic partners. Concurrently, having a romantic partner who displayed better recovery predicted more positive relationship emotions and greater relationship satisfaction. Prospectively, target participants' early attachment security and their partners' degree of conflict recovery interacted to predict relationship stability 2 years later, such that having a partner who recovered from conflict better buffered targets with insecure histories.