The moderating role of attachment styles in the relationship between irrational beliefs and marital problems

Marital problems introduce serious challenges for many couples. What is the role of irrational beliefs–as a cluster of intrapersonal variables–in developing such problems? What is the role of the couple's attachment styles toward each other, as an example of interpersonal variables, in decreasing or worsening these problems? In response to these questions, the present study was set up to investigate the moderating role of attachment styles in the relationship between irrational beliefs and marital problems. Participants were 300 married individuals (150 males, 150 females) living in Kerman at the time of the investigation. All the participants were asked to complete the Golombok Rust Inventory of Marital State Questionnaire (GRIMS), the Survey of Personal Beliefs (SPB) and the Adult Attachment Inventory (AAI). The results showed that irrational beliefs and insecure attachment styles were positively associated with marital problems. In contrast, secure attachment style was negatively associated with marital problems. Insecure attachment styles were positively associated with irrational beliefs, but this correlation was negative for secure attachment style. The results of hierarchical regression analysis showed that attachment styles moderate the relationship between irrational beliefs and marital problems. Based on the results of the present study it can be concluded that the relationship between irrational beliefs and marital problems is not a simple linear one and is moderated by the couple's attachment styles.