Contribution of attachment insecurity to the role and outcome expectations of romantic partners entering couple therapy.

Abstract

We investigated insecure attachment in relation to how actively romantic partners expect to participate in couple therapy (role expectations for self and partner) and, consequently, how much they expect to benefit from doing so (outcome expectations). Specifically, we used the mediated actor-partner interdependence model (Ledermann et al., 2011) with archived data from 297 heterosexual couples in a research-practice network (L. N. Johnson et al., 2017) who completed the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale-Short Form (Wei et al., 2007) and the Expectations and Preferences Scales for Couple Therapy (Friedlander, Muetzelfeld, et al., 2019) before their first session. Results showed acceptable model fit and a complex, dynamic interplay between gender, anxious, and avoidant attachment to partner, and pretherapy role and outcome expectations. For example, both members of the couple had lower expectations for the participation of partners who reported higher levels of attachment avoidance. Women with higher attachment anxiety also had lower role expectations for their male partners, as well as more negative outcome expectations. Whereas men with higher avoidant attachment reported lower expectations for their own role in the therapeutic process, highly anxious men expected their relationship to improve due to their own participation in the process rather than due to their partner's participation. Taken together, these results suggest that when romantic partners' interactions or descriptions of one another's behavior in the first session suggest a high level of attachment insecurity, particularly high avoidance, therapists should explain how their joint, active participation in the therapeutic process can help improve their relationship. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).