The Relationship between Attachment Styles and Marital Satisfaction: The Moderated Mediating Role of Attachment Behaviors

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the moderated mediating role of attachment behaviors (including companionship, responsiveness and accessibility) in the relationship between attachment styles (including safe, avoidance and anxiety) and marital satisfaction among married men and women in Tehran city of Iran.

400 married men and women in Tehran were selected by convenience sampling method and then questionnaires of shortened form of Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire (ENRICH), The Brief Accessibility, Responsiveness, and Engagement (BARE) Scale and Close Revised Relationship Experiences Scale (ECR-R) was distributed among them to collect data. Data were analyzed using SPSS-26 software using Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression.

Regression results showed that attachment behaviors can predict marital satisfaction. Also, in the relationship between anxiety attachment and marital satisfaction, engagement and spouse accessibility have played a moderating role.

Despite accessibility, responsiveness and engagement in married life, the partner can become a supportive and protective person and instill a sense of comfort in his spouse, which can meet the psychological, emotional and sexual needs of the couple in the family and Increase their marital satisfaction.