The Systemic Interaction of Attachment on Psychophysiological Arousal in Couple Conflict

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

Journal of Marital and Family Therapy

Volume

44

Issue

1

Publisher

Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc.

Publication Date

5-15-2017

First Page

46

Last Page

60

Abstract

Attachment in adult romantic relationships has long been linked to conflict styles. Psychophysiological measures have provided additional insight into this association by accessing less conscious and controlled responses to conflict. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and the interaction between attachment styles on skin conductance responses during conflict and recovery from conflict. Using dyadic analysis of 50 heterosexual couples, we found evidence of a systemic effect of attachment, where psychophysiological arousal increased when one partner had higher levels of attachment anxiety and the other partner had higher levels of attachment avoidance. Attachment avoidance was also negatively associated with increased levels of arousal. Relationship and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

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