A Safe Haven: An Attachment Theory Perspective on Support Seeking and Caregiving in Intimate Relationships

This study used an attachment theoretical framework to investigate support-seeking and caregiving processes in intimate relationships. Dating couples ( N = 93) were videotaped while one member of the couple (support seeker) disclosed a personal problem to his or her partner (caregiver). Results indi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of personality and social psychology 2000-06, Vol.78 (6), p.1053-1073
Main Authors: Collins, Nancy L, Feeney, Brooke C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Anxiety
Attachment Behavior
Biological and medical sciences
Caregivers
Caregivers - psychology
Caregiving
Couple and family
Couples
Emotional States
Emotions
Family Characteristics
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Help Seeking Behavior
Human
Humans
Individuality
Interpersonal communication
Interpersonal Interaction
Interpersonal Relations
Intimacy
Male
Object Attachment
Partners
Personal relationships
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Satisfaction
Social Dating
Social interaction
Social psychology
Social Support
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Summary:This study used an attachment theoretical framework to investigate support-seeking and caregiving processes in intimate relationships. Dating couples ( N = 93) were videotaped while one member of the couple (support seeker) disclosed a personal problem to his or her partner (caregiver). Results indicated that when support seekers rated their problem as more stressful, they engaged in more direct support-seeking behavior, which led their partners to respond with more helpful forms of caregiving. Responsive caregiving then led seekers to feel cared for and to experience improved mood. Evidence for individual differences was also obtained: Avoidant attachment predicted ineffective support seeking, and anxious attachment predicted poor caregiving. Finally, couples in better functioning relationships engaged in more supportive interactions, and participants' perceptions of their interaction were biased by relationship quality and attachment style.
ISSN:0022-3514
1939-1315
DOI:10.1037/0022-3514.78.6.1053