Date
4-26-2024
Department
School of Behavioral Sciences
Degree
Doctor of Education in Community Care and Counseling (EdD)
Chair
Thomas Vail
Keywords
Attachment, Marital Satisfaction, Social Media
Disciplines
Counseling | Psychology
Recommended Citation
Kanaganayagam, Shevanthi, "Attachment (Avoidance and Anxiety) in Relation to Marital Satisfaction in Couples Born between 1980 and 2000" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 5459.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5459
Abstract
This quantitative correlational study examined the relationship between attachment styles (Anxiety, Avoidance) correlated to marital satisfaction in heterosexual couples living in the U.S., born between 1980-2000, and the moderating role of social media use. Attachment styles develop during the infant stage through interactions with adult caregivers. It is apparent from research results that early attachment styles affect how a person interacts, impacting satisfaction in adult romantic relationships (Sandberg et al., 2015). The emergence of social media platforms, including Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, has given people new ways to communicate with each other, build networks, and share information. According to research, more time and attention spent on social media can be diverted from romantic relationships, which could lead to arguments and unfavorable consequences that affect marital satisfaction (Bouffard et al., 2021). The association between intimate relationships and the use of digital media has also been found to have certain advantages. Intimate digital communication was found to boost marital satisfaction and intimacy (Lomanowska & Guitton, 2016). In this study, a demographic questionnaire and three instruments were used to gather data: the Experience in Close Relationship Scale-short form, the Enrich Marital Satisfaction Scale, and the Social Media Use Integration Scale. The Hayes, regression, and correlation data analysis techniques were applied to ascertain the association between marital satisfaction and attachment types (Anxiety, Avoidance). Data analysis was done using Hayes PROCESS macro to find the variables' moderation. The statistical analysis revealed that there is a correlation between attachment style (Anxiety and Avoidance) and marital satisfaction, and higher levels of social media use did have a statistically significant moderating outcome on the strength or direction of the relationship between attachment (Anxiety, Avoidance) and marital satisfaction.
