Negative affectivity as a mediator of the association between adult attachment and marital satisfaction

Although the association between adult attachment and marital satisfaction is well documented, research has not examined processes by which attachment affects satisfaction. Drawing on attachment-oriented conceptualizations of affect regulation, the present study tested the hypothesis that negative a ffectivity mediates the association between attachment and marital satisfac tion. Data from two samples of married couples were used to test the hypoth esis. In both samples, negative affectivity mediated the association betwee n some aspects of attachment insecurity and marital dissatisfaction, althou gh attachment also retained a direct association with marital satisfaction in a number of cases. Results are discussed in terms of attachment-oriented conceptualizations of the function of negative emotion in marriage, and th e empirical and conceptual overlap between attachment and negative affectiv ity.