Research article summary (published 30 Dec 1998):

The association between spouses' self-reports of attachment styles and representations of family dynamics.

Full Abstract

The current research assesses the association between spouses' self-reports of attachment style and their perceptions of family dynamics. The sample included 93 Israeli married couples with young children. Both husbands and wives completed the adult attachment style scale and the perceived and ideal versions of FACES III. Findings showed that spouses whose self-reports endorsed the secure style perceived relatively high levels of family cohesion and adaptability; persons who endorsed the anxious-ambivalent style reported high levels of family cohesion but low levels of adaptability; and persons who endorsed the avoidant style reported relatively low levels of both family dimensions. In addition, significant associations were found between reports of attachment styles, on the one hand, and ideal representations of family dynamics, the marital partner's representations of family dynamics, and spouses' discrepancies in these representations, on the other. Findings are discussed in terms of attachment theory.

Author information

Author/s: Mikulincer, M (M); Florian, V (V);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel. mikulm(-atsign-)mail.biu.ac.il

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Family process (Fam Process), published in UNITED STATES. (Language: eng)

Reference: 1999-; vol 38 (issue 1) : pp 69-83

Dates: Created 1999/07/01; Completed 1999/07/01; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 10207711, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult Analysis of Variance Family Health Family Relations Female Humans Jews - psychology Male

Marriage - psychology Object Attachment Parents - psychology Personality - classification Sampling Studies Self Assessment (Psychology) Social Perception Spouses - psychology

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