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Perceptions of Attachment Style and Marital Quality in Midlife Marriage University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Faculty Publications, Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies Child, Youth, and Family Studies, Department of January 2005 Perceptions of Attachment Style and Marital Quality in Midlife Marriage Cody S. Hollist University of Nebraska Lincoln, [email protected] Richard B. Miller Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/famconfacpub Part of the Family, Life Course, and Society Commons Hollist, Cody S. and Miller, Richard B., "Perceptions of Attachment Style and Marital Quality in Midlife Marriage" (2005). Faculty Publications, Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies. 43. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/famconfacpub/43 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Child, Youth, and Family Studies, Department of at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications, Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Published in Family Relations, 54 (January 2005), pp. 46–57. Copyright © 2005 by the National Council on Family Relations; published by Blackwell Publishing. “Th e defi nitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.com “ Used by permission. Perceptions of Attachment Style and Marital Quality in Midlife Marriage Cody S. Hollist Richard B. Miller Abstract: Based on attachment theory, Emotionally Focused Th erapy (EFT) theorizes that attachment styles in- fl uence marital quality. Although research supports this relationship among young couples, no research has exam- ined attachment styles and marital quality in midlife marriages. We examined this issue using data from 429 mar- ried people between the ages of 40 and 50. Results indicated that insecure attachment styles were associated with marital quality, whereas secure attachment was not. Th ese results suggest that EFT therapists can help midlife couples in distressed relationships move from insecure to secure attachment styles. However, the use of EFT to help these couples who have secure attachment styles is questioned. Key Words: attachment theory, Emotionally Focused Th erapy, marriage, midlife couples. Th e discipline of marriage and family therapy is met due to rigid interaction patterns that block emo- moving in an evidence-based direction (Sprenkle, tional engagement” (Johnson & Greenberg, 1995, 2002), with clinical research becoming an important p. 121). Johnson and Greenberg saw the purpose of part of the discipline. As such, attention is given to therapy as developing a more secure attachment bond those treatment models that are validated by research within the couple relationship. Th us, the theoretical (Baucom, Shoham, Mueser, Daiuto, & Stickle, foundation of EFT is based on attachment as a con- 1998; Sexton, Alexander, & Mease, in press). Simul- ceptual means of describing and predicting adult love taneously, Emotionally Focused Couples Th erapy relationships with the assumption that the quality of (EFT; Johnson, 2002; Johnson & Lebow, 2000) has romantic relationships is largely dependent upon the emerged as one of the most empirically supported type of attachment between partners. EFT suggests couple treatment protocols. that the security of attachment is strengthened when Based on attachment theory, EFT views “dis- individuals experience their relationship as safe, and tressed relationships ... as insecure bonds in which es- such safety enables them to deepen their emotional sentially healthy attachment needs are unable to be interactions. Th is experience helps partners reframe Based on a paper presented at the annual conference of the American Association for Marriage and Family Th erapy, October 2002, Cincinnati, OH. Correspondence: Cody S. Hollist, Ph.D., University of Nebraska–Lincoln, 130 Mabel Lee Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588-0236 ([email protected]). 46 Attachment Style and Marital Quality in Midlife Marriage their perceptions of the dependability of others and Th rough a study of children’s reactions to being left their own worthiness of love. Further, functioning by mother in a “strange situation” (Ainsworth, Blehar, within the couple is improved as the individuals be- Waters, & Wall, 1978), Ainsworth and her colleagues gin to convey their wants and needs and have those identifi ed three diff erent styles of child behavior: se- needs heard and addressed (Johnson, 1996). cure attachment, anxious attachment, and avoidant Although previous research fi nds a signifi cant re- attachment. As the fi rst typology of attachment styles, lationship between attachment styles and marital it remains primary for childhood attachment. quality (Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991; Gallo & Bowlby (1980) further theorized that these styles Smith, 2001; Kirkpatrick & Davis, 1994), no re- were oriented by the children’s beliefs about them- search has examined the relationship between attach- selves and their world. If children believed that they ment styles and relationship quality in relationships were worthy of love, they carried that expectation to beyond those in the early years of marriage. With a selected relationships that were congruent with that substantial relationship history and the infl uence of belief. If the children believed that the world was not established patterns on relationships that have lasted to be trusted, they were hesitant in emotionally con- for many years (Miller, 2000), attachment styles may necting to others because of the perceived pending have less infl uence. Our purpose was to use survey doom of the relationship. Bowlby (1980) believed data from a random national sample to empirically that combinations of these beliefs (positive or nega- test the relationship between attachment and marital tive beliefs about self and positive or negative beliefs quality for midlife individuals who have been mar- about others) created the diff erent attachment styles ried for at least 10 years. Th is will lend support for described by Ainsworth. and understanding of the fundamental theoretical Central to the attachment process are the behav- assumption of EFT that adult attachment infl uences iors that maintain the relational attachment styles marital quality even in midlife. (Cassidy, 1999) motivated by the beliefs about self and others. Th e specifi c behaviors are important be- cause of their function in maintaining the attach- Attachment ment style; that is, the attachment behaviors sustain the relationship congruent with the individual’s be- Early Attachment Th eories liefs about self and others. Beginning in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Ain- Secure attachment in early life establishes a set of sworth, Bowlby, and others described a bond that attachment behaviors that provide for more satisfy- they believed existed between primary caregivers ing relationships in the future (Th ompson, 1999). (usually mothers) and children. Later labeled “at- Th ese behaviors change as relational contexts change, tachment” (Ainsworth, 1964; Bowlby, 1958, 1969), but their function remains consistent: to maintain it was conceptualized as the aff ective connection be- relationship closeness in accordance with internal- tween two individuals that provides them with a ized beliefs. Th us, although attachment behaviors fi rm emotional foundation from which they can in- themselves change, refl ecting the changing needs of teract with the world. Characteristics of this type of the environment, individual attachment style is be- relationship include supportiveness, trustworthiness, lieved to be more reluctant to change. Changes to caring, and acceptance (Bowlby, 1969). Th is bond attachment style occur only over long periods, allow- was believed to be the foundation for future rela- ing the individual to alter internalized beliefs about tionships and the individuals’ paradigmatic views of self and others that were created over time (Klohnen themselves and others. & Bera, 1998). Hollist & Miller in FAMILY RELATIONS (), Early Application to Adult Romantic Relationships dividuals were described as having a sense of unwor- Typically applied to early childhood relationships, thiness to receive love, and a belief that others are Hazen and Shaver (1987) used attachment to de- so good that they will not love them. Positive beliefs scribe adult romantic relationships. Applying at- about self and negative beliefs about the other repre- tachment to adult relationships included an adapta- sent the “dismissing” style of attachment; these indi- tion of the three styles. Th ey theorized that securely viduals feel that they are worthy of love but believe attached couples had higher marital satisfaction. In that others will reject them. Negative beliefs about fact, research showed that securely attached couples self and negative beliefs about the other were labeled had a lower divorce rate (Brennan & Shaver, 1990; “fearful” attachment. Th is style of attachment was Hazen & Shaver), and they reported that securely believed to have similar characteristics to the avoid- attached couples described feeling comfortable ant attachment style described by the three-category with emotional intimacy and found joy and satis- model—that is, their behavior is marked by avoid- faction in close relationships. Th ey described avoid- ance of social settings because of the anxiety associ- ant couples as exhibiting a fear of intimacy, and ated with connecting to others. they found that avoidant individuals frequently re- Research has validated
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