Attachment style and relationship satisfaction: Test of a self-disclosure explanation

A self-disclosure explanation for why those with a secure attachment style report greater relationship satisfaction than those with alternate attachment styles was explored. Participants with different attachment styles were compared in terms of the self-disclosures they directed toward their partner and a stranger, using both questionnaire and behavioural measures. Behavioural self-disclosure was assessed by having participants give extemporaneous talks on different topics, while anticipating that either their current partner or an opposite-sex stranger would later hear it. As expected, those with a secure attachment style disclosed more intimately to their partners than to strangers; whereas those with fearful, preoccupied, or dismissing attachment styles did not. Moreover, secures disclosed more personal facts to their partners than to strangers and were also perceived as more comfortable while self-disclosing to partners than to strangers. Finally, support for the hypothesis that self-disclosure mediates the relation between attachment style and relationship satisfaction was found on one component of self-disclosure: namely, facilitative disclosure-a component which included both reported self-disclosure to one's partner and self-rated ability to elicit disclosure from others. implications of these findings for attachment style differences in relationship development are discussed.