Parental divorce and interparental conflict: Spanish young adults’ attachment and relationship expectations

• Klara Smith-Etxeberria ^[1] ; Amaia Eceiza ^[1] ; Chelsea Garneau-Rosner ^[2] ; Francesca Adler-Baeder ^[3]
  1. [1] Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea

     Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea

     Leioa, España

     
  2. [2] University of Missouri

     University of Missouri

     Township of Columbia, Estados Unidos

     
  3. [3] Auburn University

     Auburn University

     Estados Unidos

     

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• Localización: The Spanish Journal of Psychology, ISSN 1138-7416, Nº 23, 2020, págs. 1-14
• Idioma: inglés
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  • This study focused on the associations between parental divorce and interparental conflict with young adults’ current attachment-related anxiety and avoidance, and romantic relationship expectations. The moderating effect of attachment history was also investigated. Using a sample of 1,078 Spanish young adults (544 women, 518 men; average age 21.4 years), our results confirmed that parental divorce is not associated with young adult children’s higher attachment anxiety and avoidance nor poorer romantic relationship expectations. Moreover, interparental conflict is more strongly associated with attachment-related avoidance (p < .001) and romantic relationship expectations (p < .05) than parental divorce, yet depending on attachment history. In fact, in support of our hypothesis, a more secure attachment history with mother has a buffering effect on the association between high-unresolved interparental conflict and attachment avoidance (β = .17, p < .001). Findings add to the existing literature and promote a better understanding of the complex associations between parental divorce and conflict on adult children´s current attachment and relationship expectations.