Comparison of Attachment and Trust in Couple Relationship in Married People with and without a History of Parental Divorce

Document Type : Original

Authors

1 M A of Family Clinical Psychology, Family Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Family Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Background: The collapse of the family is one of the stressful challenges for family members. The important effects are on attachment and trust in children's romantic relationships. Objective: The present study was conducted to compare attachment and trust in couple relationships in married people with and without parental divorce experience. Method: The research method was causal-comparative. The statistical population of the research included all married people with and without parental divorce experience who lived in Iran and had access to the Internet. A sample of 200 participants was selected using the available sampling method. Two groups of married people with (100) and without a history of parental divorce (100) answered Questionnaires of Experiences in Close Relationships Revised by Fraley, Waller, and Brennan 2000, Interpersonal Trust of Rempel and Holmes 1986, the Experiences in Close Relationships-Relationship Structures by Fraley et al. 2011 and short form of Enrich Marital Satisfaction by Suleimanian 1994. The analysis of covariance was used to analyze the data. Marital satisfaction and attachment to parents were recognized as covariate and their effect was controlled in the analysis stage. Findings: The results showed that by considering covariates, a significant difference was reported in the anxiety of attachment and trust in the dimension of faith, but in the avoidance of attachment, trust in the dimension of predictability and trustworthiness, there was not a significant difference in the two groups. Conclusion: Attachment and trust can be affected by the experience of parents' divorce. Based on this, family specialists can take into consideration the findings of the present study to improve attachment and trust.

Keywords


References
Abbasi, M., Omidreshalmani, S., and Safakish, M. (2021). Yearbook of population statistics. Tehran: Publications of the Civil Registration Organization of Iran. [In persian] https://samava.thmporg.ir
Bernstein, R., Keltner, D., & Laurent, H. (2012). Parental divorce and romantic attachment in young adulthood: Important role of problematic beliefs. Marriage & Family Review, 48(8), 711-731. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1080/01494929.2012.700910
Black, K., & Schutte, E. (2006). Recollections of being loved: Implications of childhood experiences with parents for young adults’ romantic relationships. Journal of Family Issues, 27(10), 1459-1480. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0192513X06289647
Bowlby, J. (1982). Attachment and loss: retrospect and prospect. American journal of Orthopsychiatry, 52(4), 664. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1111/j.1939-0025.1982.tb01456.x
Brennan, K. A., Clark, C. L., & Shaver, P. R. (1998). Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory. Hormones and Behavior.
Brown, E. M. (2013). Patterns of infidelity and their treatment, New York: Taylor & Francis Group, Brunner Rutledge. https://books.google.com
Campbell, L., & Stanton, S. (2019). Adult attachment and trust in romantic relationships. Current Opinion in Psychology, 25, 148-151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.08.004
Chang, J. H. Y., Yang, H., Yeh, K. H., & Hsu, S. C. (2016). Developing trust in close personal relationships: Ethnic Chinese’s experiences. Journal of Trust Research, 6(2), 167-193.https://ideas.repec.org
Crowell, J. A., Treboux, D., & Brockmeyer, S. (2009). Parental divorce and adult children's attachment representations and marital status. Attachment & Human Development, 11(1), 87-101. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616730802500867
De Rose, A. (2000). Separation and divorce: Effect on family structures and life conditions.  Labour, 14(1), 145-160. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9914.00128
D'Rozario, A. B., & Pilkington, P. D. (2022). Parental separation or divorce and adulthood attachment: The mediating role of the Abandonment schema. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 29(2), 664-675. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.2659
Faramarzinia E, Bahrainian, A,. and Manouchehri M. (2019). Structural model of attachment styles, early maladaptive schemas and health dimensions by mediating coping styles. Medical Sciences Journal of Islamic Azad University, 29(4), 337-348. [In persian] https://tmuj.iautmu.ac.ir/article-1-1688-fa.html
Feeney, B. C., & Monin, J. K. (2008). An attachment-theoretical perspective on divorce.  In J. Cassidy & P. R. Shaver (Eds.), Handbook of attachment: Theory, research, and clinical applications. The Guilford Press, 934-957. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2008-13837-040
Fraley, R. Heffernan, M., Vicary A., Brumbaugh, C. (2011). The Experiences in Close Relationships Relationship Structures Questionnaire: A Method for Assessing Attachment Orientations Across Relationships, American Psychological Association, 23(3), 615-625. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/a0022898
Fraley, R. C., Heffernan, M. E. (2013). Attachment and Parental Divorce: A Test of the Diffusion and Sensitive Period. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 39(9), 1199–1213.https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1177/0146167213491503
Fraley, R. C., & Shaver, P. R. (2000). Adult romantic attachment: Theoretical developments, emerging controversies, and unanswered questions. Review of general psychology, 4(2), 132-154. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.4.2.132
Fraley, R. C., Waller, N. G., & Brennan, K. A. (2000). An item response theory analysis of self-report measures of adult attachment. Journal of personality and social psychology, 78(2), 350-365. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0022-3514.78.2.350
Franklin, K. M., Janoff-Bulman, R., & Roberts, J. E. (1990). Long-term impact of parental divorce on optimism and trust: Changes in general assumptions or narrow beliefs? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 59(4), 743. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0022-3514.59.4.743
Franklin, K. E. (2022). Parental divorce, romantic attachment, and internalizing symptoms in adulthood. Thesis of Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy, the Faculty of the Department of Human Development and Family Science,  East Carolina University. https://www.proquest.com
Hazan, C., & Shaver, P. (1987). Romantic love conceptualized as an attachment process. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52(3), 511–524. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0022-3514.52.3.511
Hazan, C., & Shaver, P. R. (1994). Attachment as an organizational framework for research on close relationships. Psychological inquiry, 5(1), 1-22. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1207/s15327965pli0501_1
Holmes, J. G., & Rempel, J. K. (1989). Trust in close relationships. In C. Hendrick (Ed.), Close relationships. Sage Publications, Inc. 187-220. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1989-97192-008
Jackson, L. (2015). The Impact of Parental Divorce on Children's Confidence Levels in Young Adulthood. MA thesis in Marriage and Family Therapy. The Graduate College. Greenspun College of Urban Affairs. University of Nevada, Las Vegas. https:edu/thesesdissertations/2541/
Javidmehr, F. Honarparvaran, N,. and Ghaderi, Z. (2014). Validation of the Persian Version of the Trust in Interpersonal Relationships Scale. Quarterly Journal of Family and Research, 11(2), 21-36. https://www.noormags.ir [In persian]
Johnston, S.G., & Thomas, A.M. (1996). Divorce versus Intact Parental Marriage and Perceived Risk and Dyadic Trust in Present Heterosexual Relationships. Psychological Reports, 78(2), 387-390. https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1996.78.2.387
Khojaste Mehr, R., Bahmaei, A., Sodani, M., and Abbaspour, Z. (2020). The explanation of divorce formation process: A qualitative research. Psychological Achievements, 27(1), 23-46. [In persian] https://doi.org/10.22055/psy.2020.32329.2488
Korinek, A. W. (2001). A new perspective on trust in marital relationships: how trust in specific areas of the relationship relates to marital satisfaction and attachment style. Texas Tech University. https://www.proquest.com
Mahl, D. (2001). The Influence of Parental Divorce on the Romantic Relationship Beliefs of Young Adults. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 34, 118 - 89. https://www.semanticscholar.org
Maydanchi, M., Yaghobi, A., Goodarzy, K., and Karimi, J. (2020). Comparing the Effectiveness of Training of Emotionally-Focused Approach and Choice Theory on Couple’ s Marital Satisfaction and Burnout. Journal of family research, 16(3), 377-393. [In persian] https://www.sid.ir/paper/382707/fa
Meyers, S. R. (2007). The relationship between parental divorce and adult romantic attachment: Considering factors of parenting style and psychological hardiness. PHD thesis of Psychology. The Department of Psychology. Pace University. https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/dissertations
Nuno, M. (2012). The Relationship between Family Structure and Trust and Loneliness in Young Adults. MA thesis in Human Development. School of Graduate Studies.  Laurentian University Sudbury. https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/thesescanada
Poravari, M., Ghanbari, S., Zadeh Mohammadi, A., and Panaghi, L. (2014). Validity, reliability and factor structure of theexperiences ofclose relationships questionnaire - the relationship structure (ECR-RS). Journal of Thought & Behavior in Clinical Psychology, 9(31), 47-56. https://jtbcp.riau.ac.ir/article_77.html [In persian]
Rempel, J. K., Ross, M., & Holmes, J. G. (2001). Trust and communicated attributions in close relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 81(1), 57–64. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.81.1.57
Roper, S. W., Fife, S. T., & Seedall, R. B. (2020). The intergenerational effects of parental divorce on young adult relationships. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 61(4), 249-266. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1080/10502556.2019.1699372
Schaan, V. K., & Vögele, C. (2016). Resilience and rejection sensitivity mediate long-term outcomes of parental divorce. European child & adolescent psychiatry, 25(11), 1267-1269. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-016-0893-7
Schaan, V. K., Schulz, A., Schächinger, H., & Vögele, C. (2019). Parental divorce is associated with an increased risk to develop mental disorders in women. Journal of affective disorders, 25(7), 91-99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2019.06.071
Sessoms, C. A. (2010). Differences in quality of romantic relationships in college females based on family status: divorced or intact. MA thesis in School Psychology. The faculty of the graduate school. Western Carolina University. https://libres.uncg.edu/ir/wcu/f/Sessoms
Shokrkon, H., Khojastehmehr, R., Atari, Y,. and Shehni yeylagh, M. (2006). A study of personality traits, social skills, attachment styles and demographic characteristics as predictors of success or failure of marital relationship in intact and divorce- seeking couples of ahvaz. Journal of education and psychology, 13(1), 1-30. https://www.sid.ir/paper/8845/fa [In persian]
Shahovisi, S,. Goodarzi, M,. and Ezatpour, E. (2019). comparison between attachment styles and love styles in couples raised in divorce and normal families. Shenakht journal of psychology and psychiatry, 6(4), 80-89. http://dx.doi.org/10.29252/shenakht.6.4.80 [In persian]
Smith-Etxeberria, K., & Eceiza, A. (2021). Mother-Child and Father-Child Relationships in Emerging Adults from Divorced and Non-Divorced Families. Social Sciences, 10(10), 382. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/10/10/382
Smith-Etxeberria, K., Corres-Medrano, I., & Fernandez-Villanueva, I. (2022). Parental Divorce Process and Post-Divorce Parental Behaviors and Strategies: Examining Emerging Adult Children’s Attachment-Related Anxiety and Avoidance. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(16), 10383. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191610383
Suleimanian, A. (1994). Investigating the effect of irrational thoughts based on the cognitive approach on dissatisfaction. Master's thesis. Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences. Tarbiat Moalem University of Tehran. https://ganj.irandoc.ac.ir [In persian]
Sutton, T. E. (2019). Review of attachment theory: Familial predictors, continuity and change, and intrapersonal and relational outcomes. Marriage & Family Review, 55(1), 1-22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01494929.2018.1458001
Till, C. B. (1994). Long-term correlates of parental divorce and spousal trust. MA thesis in Counseling Psychology. The Faculty of the Graduate School. Texas Woman's University. https://www.proquest.com
Tullius, J. M., De Kroon, M. L., Almansa, J., & Reijneveld, S. A. (2022). Adolescents’ mental health problems increase after parental divorce, not before, and persist until adulthood: a longitudinal TRAILS study. European child & adolescent psychiatry, 31(6), 969-978. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-020-01715-0
Wallerstein, J. S., & Lewis, J. M. (2004). The Unexpected Legacy of Divorce: Report of a 25-Year Study. Psychoanalytic psychology, 21(3), 353. https://awspntest.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0736-9735.21.3.353
Washington, K. N. (2012). Romantic attachment among young adults: The effects of parental divorce and residential instability. AM thesis in Family Sciences. The College of Family Sciences. The University of Kentucky. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/cgi/viewcontent
Washington, K. N., & Hans, J. D. (2013). Romantic attachment among young adults: The effects of parental divorce and residential instability. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 54(2), 95-111. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10502556.2012.752684
Winik, A. (2015). Romantic attachment and the adult offspring of divorce: The role of peers and parents. PhD thesis of Philosophy. Arts Sciences Professional Studies. Fairleigh Dickinson University. https://www.proquest.com