On the Causal Relationship Between Attachment Styles and Marital Satisfaction: Mediating Role of Gottman's Marital Communication Model

Abstract

Background: Marital satisfaction is one of the main factors affecting the quality of life in marital relationships. It refers to individuals’ positive attitudes toward their marital relationship, and marital dissatisfaction is a negative and displeased attitude toward various aspects of marital relationship. Objectives: The present study aimed to explore the causal relationship between attachment styles and marital satisfaction regarding the mediating role of Gottman’s marital communication model. Methods: The statistical population encompassed all university students in Ahvaz in the academic year 2019 - 2020. The multi-stage random sampling method was used, and 230 persons were selected as the study samples. Hudson's Index of Marital Satisfaction (IMS), Coolins and Reed's Revised Adult Attachment Scale (RAAS), and Gottman's Communication Skills Scale (FHS) were also used to collect the data. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software version 26 and AMOS software version 24. Results: The results indicated that the study model well-fitted the study population, and all direct paths were statistically significant. Moreover, there was a significant relationship between secure attachment, anxiety-insecure attachment, and avoidance-insecure attachment with marital satisfaction mediated by Gottman's communication skills (P ≤ 0.001). Conclusions: Given the effect of Gottman’s couple attachment styles and four communication skills on marital satisfaction, their effectiveness in marital satisfaction is proved. Accordingly, therapists are recommended to implement educational and treatment programs containing cognitive and preventive attachment styles and Gottman’s communication skills to promote couples' marital satisfaction.