The Role Of Attachment Styles In Marital Conflict Resolution Emotional Regulation And Social Interaction Anxiety Examining Influence Of Gender And Siblings

Abstract

This study discusses how attachment styles which involve secure, fearful, preoccupied and dismissive newlineattachment style have an influence on resolving marital conflicts, emotion regulation, and anxiety newlineinvolving social interaction, paying special attention to gender variation, and presence of siblings. newlinePurposive sample of 400 (200 males and 200 females), randomly selected age between 25-40 years old, newlinemarried adults belonging to different localities of Kolkata was chosen on demographic and familial basis. newlinePsychological measures, such as conflict dimensions of a relationship (compromise, separation, newlinedomination, submission, interactional reactivity and avoidance), emotional regulation (cognitive newlinereappraisal and expressive suppression), and social anxiety were determined in a standardized manner. newlineWith the MANOVA, ANOVA, and t-tests, this study found a significant influence of gender and newlineattachment style on all the six relationship conflict scales, emotional regulation and social interaction newlineanxiety scores. The results indicated that use of compromise was rated higher by the females across all newlineattachment styles and use of domination was also rated highest among the dismissive males. newlineSubmissiveness and social anxiety were maximum in fearful females and cognitive reappraisal newlinecapabilities were strongest among secure males. The levels of expressive suppression were greatest newlineamong dismissive females. The gender-induced comparisons showed that females as compared to the newlinemales tended to be more socially anxious and more prone to conflict resolution, whereas males or those newlinewith insecure attachment styles were more dominant. The respondents with siblings indicated better levels newlineof compromise, submission, and cognitive reappraisal indicating better emotional regulation and healthy newlinecontest behavior. Those who did not have any siblings were shown to be more dominating, interactionally newlinereactive, and suppressing emotion. Interestingly, attachment style was not an important determinant of newlinesocial anxiety, submission and avoidance and t