Parental Attachment Styles in Blended Families: A Quantitative Analysis of Family Cohesion

Adult attachment theory builds upon the basic assumptions of attachment theory by asserting that adult romantic relationships are affected by various styles of attachment as well as early experiences with caregivers. Whilst research has examined the effects of various adult attachment styles in biological (intact) families of procreation, investigations into the effects on blended families of procreation are needed. As the numbers of blended families rise worldwide, additional research is required in order to help understand complex familial processes and provide a means by which attachment therapy can assist with cohesion and stability of unions. The purposes of this study were twofold. The first aim was to assess whether adult attachment styles, number of children present in the family unit of procreation, number of previous parental romantic relationships, or length of time as a family unit of procreation predict family cohesion. The second aim was to assess whether parental attachment styles are different for blended and biological families of procreation. This quantitative research design used a causal-comparative internet survey method to examine differences in variables as they applied to blended and biological families of procreation. Participants were recruited from family oriented web sites and completed an online survey that included standardized measures of adult attachment and family cohesion. Additional variables were assessed by participant responses to a detailed demographic questionnaire. Significant predictors of family cohesion included adult attachment styles. Findings indicated that a surprisingly small number of blended family members participated. No significant difference was found in attachment styles of blended and biological families of procreation, although the low response rate of blended family members leaves this finding considerably underpowered.