Publication Date

2014

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Department

School for Social Work

Keywords

Parent-Services for, Parenting-Psychological aspects, Parents-Psychology, Stress (Psychology), Attachment behavior, Married people-Psychology, Fathers-Psychology, Romantic adult attachment, Marital satisfaction, Parenting stress, Co-parenting, Father involvement, Support Father Involvement Program

Abstract

Over the years attachment theory and research have provided frameworks for understanding infant attachment and adult attachment. More recently, the phenomenon of romantic attachment between couples has been examined. The current mixed-methods study investigates the relationship between romantic adult attachment, marital satisfaction, and parenting stress in partners participating in the Supporting Father Involvement Program. Quantitative and qualitative results indicate that there is an association between adult attachment styles, marital satisfaction, and parenting stress. More specifically, fearful insecurities in mothers are associated with more parenting stress while secure attachments in mothers are connected to more satisfaction in the marital relationship. Fathers with a dismissive attachment have less parenting stress but are happier in their marriages in comparison to secure fathers. Current results shed light on the importance of attachment in reaching a deeper conceptualization of couple relationship dynamics. Future research with a larger and more diverse sample should be conducted in order to extend these initial findings.

Language

English

Comments

iv, 128 pages. Thesis (M.S.W.)-Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Ma., 2014. Includes bibliographical references (pages 55-59)

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