Attachment Styles, Marital Satisfaction and Psychological Well-Being among Dyads

Abstract

This research explores the intricate relationship between married couples' psychological health, marital satisfaction, and attachment styles within the setting of Pakistani culture. The study, which is based on attachment theory, is to investigate the ways in which attachment styles affect married partners' mental health and relationship satisfaction. A cross-sectional correlational design was used in the study, and a survey method was used to gather data from 250 dyadic pairs. The Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) was used to assess psychological well-being, the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale-Revised (ECR-R) was used to examine attachment patterns, and the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) was used to measure marital satisfaction. Findings revealed a significant negative correlation between attachment insecurity (anxious and avoidant styles) and marital satisfaction (anxious = -.37, avoidant = -.54, p < .001), supporting the mediation hypothesis. Additionally, secure attachment styles were positively associated with psychological well-being (secure = -.39, p < .001), whereas anxious and avoidant styles exhibited negative correlations (anxious = -.28, avoidant = -.32, p < .001). The implications point to the need of culturally aware therapies and specifically designed educational programs that target attachment patterns in fostering happier marriages and psychological wellness. Potential sample bias, the use of self-report measures, and the difficulty to determine causal correlations with the cross-sectional design are some of the limitations. However, the study highlights the need of culturally sensitive approaches in therapeutic strategies and policy-making endeavors, as well as the universal significance of attachment dynamics in determining relationship outcomes.