ATTACHMENT STYLE AND RELATIONSHIP SATISFACTION - TEST OF A SELF-DISCLOSURE EXPLANATION

A self-disclosure explanation for why those with a secure attachment s tyle report greater relationship satisfaction than those with alternat e attachment styles was explored. Participants with different attachme nt styles were compared in terms of the self-disclosures they directed toward their partner and a stranger, using both questionnaire and beh avioural measures. Behavioural self-disclosure was assessed by having participants give extemporaneous talks on different topics, while anti cipating that either their current partner or an opposite-sex stranger would later hear it. As expected, those with a secure attachment styl e disclosed more intimately to their partners than to strangers; where as those with fearful, preoccupied, or dismissing attachment styles di d not. Moreover, secures disclosed more personal facts to their partne rs than to strangers and were also perceived as more comfortable while self-disclosing to partners than to strangers. Finally, support for t he hypothesis that self-disclosure mediates the relation between attac hment style and relationship satisfaction was found on one component o f self-disclosure: namely, facilitative disclosure-a component which i ncluded both reported self-disclosure to one's partner and self-rated ability to elicit disclosure from others. implications of these findin gs for attachment style differences in relationship development are di scussed.