Own and Partner Attachment Insecurity Interact to Predict Marital Satisfaction and Dissolution

Abstract

Conventional wisdom suggests that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Echoing this sentiment, theoretical perspectives on close relationships suggest that the synergistic combination of both partners’ personal qualities can influence relationship outcomes above and beyond the simple additive influence of each partner’s qualities. Yet, empirical research leaves it unclear whether the interactive effects of own and partner attachment insecurity, one of the most notable individual difference predictors of relationship outcomes, predicts relationship dissolution, one of the most notable relationship outcomes. We combined data from five independent longitudinal studies of 539 newlywed couples to address this issue. Three of the four interactive combinations (all except own attachment avoidance × partner attachment avoidance) predicted marital dissolution serially through (a) initial marital satisfaction and (b) changes in satisfaction. Findings provide evidence of interactive attachment effects and underscore the importance of both couple members’ characteristics for maintaining satisfying romantic relationships.