Intimacy and attachment during times of stress: An examination of newlywed couples during supportive and conflictual discussions

The maintenance and development of intimacy is a fundamental part of the human experience, a cornerstone of relationships, and a buffer against negative effects of stress on psychological and physical health outcomes. According to the Interpersonal Process Model of Intimacy, developed by Reis and Shaver (1998), intimacy is built through interactions that include self-disclosure and partner responsiveness. In particular, emotional self-disclosures -- disclosures that reveal core feelings or opinions -- have been more strongly associated with the development of intimacy. Literature on adult attachment also suggests that relationship behaviors are also guided by attachment style, particularly during times of interpersonal stress, according to the diathesis-stress model (Simpson & Rholes, 1994), in which distress activates attachment working models (e.g., preference for autonomy or proximity-seeking) based on attachment styles, which guide behaviors and perceptions of a partner and a situation and influence relationship characteristics.;The current study aimed to explore how interpersonal stress may impact intimacy by examining the effects of attachment style on the IPM under conditions of increased distress. Styles of attachment were expected to moderate the relation between distress and IPM variables such that distress would have more negative effects at higher levels of attachment anxiety or avoidance. The IPM was also tested to provide further support for the model. Data were collected on 114 newlywed couples in the Baltimore area. Couples participated in a laboratory-based interaction including three brief discussions on a major area of conflict, a minor area of conflict, and a perceived strength. Self-disclosures were coded using both observational measurement of videotaped interactions and self-report. The Actor-Partner Interdependence Model was used to estimate individual and partner effects within a dyadic structure while controlling for interdependence.;Findings supported the IPM as self-disclosures, when using a self-report measure of the emotional depth of disclosures, were related to global ratings of intimacy and this relation was mediated by perceived partner responsiveness. Emotional disclosures were also negatively impacted by attachment avoidance and distress, particularly when a partner perceived the discloser as less responsive. Results were mixed regarding self-disclosure, as findings with self-report measures were more consistent with hypothesized relations whereas results with observational measures of self-disclosure were limited, indicating that perceptions of the emotional depth or self-revealing nature of disclosures may be more closely associated to relationship processes.;Results also suggested support for the moderation of attachment style on the effects of distress on self-disclosure and perceived partner responsiveness; however, the partner effect of distress was found to moderate these relations rather than the actor effect of distress. In this case, a partner's distress had a stronger negative effect on perceived partner responsiveness and the emotional depth of disclosures when individuals were less securely attached. Having a partner with an anxious attachment style was also associated with fewer observed self-disclosures. Gender differences were found; the association between distress and perceived partner responsiveness was stronger for women, whereas the relation between distress and self-disclosure was only observed significant for men, suggesting distress may differentially affect processes that influence intimacy among men and women. Additionally attachment avoidance had more negative association with intimacy for wives, while attachment anxiety had a stronger negative effect for husbands. Overall, results supported hypotheses that attachment and stress interact to influence self-disclosure, perceived responsiveness, and levels of intimacy. Methodological implications are discussed, along with suggestions for future research.