Challenging the Mediating Role of Attachment Styles in the Link Between Partner Responsiveness and Marital Quality: A Path Analysis Study

This study investigates the mediating role of attachment styles in romantic relationships, focusing specifically on the relationship between partner responsiveness and marital quality. A correlational path analysis was conducted on data collected from 296 married individuals in Lorestan Province, Iran, using convenience sampling. Participants completed well-established questionnaires assessing Perceived Partner Responsiveness (Reis et al., 2006), Experiences in Close Relationships-Scale Short Form (ECR-S) (Wei et al., 2007), Dyadic Adjustment Scale (Busby et al., 1995), and the Revised Adult Attachment Scale (Collins & Read, 1990). The data were analyzed using SPSS version 25 and Amos version 25, with results demonstrating a good model fit. Findings indicate that both anxious and avoidant attachment styles significantly mediate the relationship between perceived partner responsiveness and marital quality. These results suggest that the responsiveness to a partner’s needs influences marital quality through the mediating mechanisms of attachment styles, providing valuable insights into how attachment dynamics shape the marital experience.