Partner attachment and interpersonal characteristics.

This study investigated partner attachment and interpersonal characteristics in 134 nonclinical couples in long-term marriages. Irrespective of gender, spouses with greater anxiety over abandonment or discomfort with closeness endorsed dysfunctional relationship beliefs to a greater extent. On the anxiety over abandonment dimension, husbands with higher scores were rated less aggressive, less controlling, and more rebellious, whereas wives with higher scores were rated more dependent, more self-critical, and less competitive. Husbands higher on discomfort with closeness were rated less cooperative and responsible and were rated more aggressive and rebellious. Matched secure couples reported lower marital dissatisfaction than matched insecure or mismatched couples. Future research should contrast samples of nonclinical and clinical couples by marital duration to identify specific partner behaviors that are likely to foster marital dissatisfaction within particular attachment pairings. The authors' findings suggest the importance of marital therapists being attuned to the attachment-related beliefs and interpersonal styles uniquely operating within each couple.

Parent characteristics linked with daughters' attachment styles.

This study investigated links between parent characteristics and daughters' attachment styles for 90 female undergraduates and their married biological parents. Parents with a secure attachment pattern were rated as more accepting, less controlling, more competent, and more consistent in showing love and affection to their daughter in contrast to parents with an insecure attachment pattern. Significant positive associations were found between mothers' fearful attachment scores and the fearful, preoccupied, and dismissive attachment scores of daughters. Daughters of matched secure parents were more likely to report a secure attachment style, while daughters of matched insecure parents were more likely to report an insecure attachment style.

Links between parent characteristics and attachment variables for college students of parental divorce.

This study investigated links between offsprings' attachment patterns and parent characteristics in 157 females and 62 males of parental divorce. Secure females and males reported affection, respect, and closeness toward both biological parents. Offsprings' insecure attachment pattern was associated with negative parent characteristics. Participants who perceived their same-sex parent negatively were more likely to report an insecure attachment. Our findings suggest delayed negative consequences of parental divorce for college women and men.

Effects of attachment-focused versus relationship skills-focused group interventions for college students with insecure attachment patterns.

This study tested the attachment issues segment of Kilmann's (1996) manualized attachment-focused (AF) group intervention. College students with insecure adult attachment patterns were randomly assigned into either a manualized attachment-focused group or into a manualized relationship skills-focused (RS) group. A no-intervention control condition (NC) was recruited in the same manner. Between pre- and post-testing, AF and RS participants reported decreased agreement with dysfunctional relationship beliefs. AF participants also reported higher self-esteem, decreased angry reaction, and increased control of anger. RS participants reported improved interpersonal styles. At the 15-18-month follow-up, AF and RS participants reported increased self-awareness and positive relationship expectations and experiences, while NC participants reported no positive changes.

Recollections of parent characteristics and attachment patterns for college women of intact vs. non-intact families.

This study contrasted offsprings' attachment patterns and recollections of parent characteristics in two college samples: 147 females from intact biological parents and 157 females of parental divorce. Secure females from intact or non-intact families rated parents positively, while insecure females rated parents as absent, distant, and demanding. In contrast to females from intact families, females of parental divorce reported a less secure attachment, lower self-esteem, a greater fearful avoidance pattern, and rated their biological fathers and mothers more negatively.