Feeling supported and feeling satisfied: How one partner's attachment style predicts the other partner's relationship experiences

This study explored the association between one partner's attachment style and the other partner's relationship experiences (N = 305 couples). It was hypothesized that individuals would be more satisfied in their relationship when their partners were more secure (lower in attachment avoidance and anxiety), and that this association would be mediated by perceived caregiving. Results indicated that men were less satisfied when their female partners were higher in attachment anxiety, whereas women were less satisfied when their male partners were higher in avoidance. Structural equation modeling revealed that these links were partially mediated by perceived caregiving; individuals who were involved with insecure partners were less satisfied in part because they perceived their partners to be less effective caregivers.