Abstract
This research examined the association between adult attachment and relationship satisfaction in heterosexual romantic relationships when other relationship variables are also taken into consideration. 238 participants completed a questionnaire that included an adult attachment measure, a relationship satisfaction measure and a new measure that derived from previous research. Exploratory factor analysis of the new measure yielded 3 factors. These were termed: 'sharing and mutual adaptation 'pressure from work commitments ' and 'influenced by others ' relationships '. Results indicated that the link between attachment and relationship satisfaction was much weaker when the 3 factors were examined in combination with attachment as predictors of relationship satisfaction. 'Sharing and mutual adaptation a scale that measured degree of similarity, sharing and adaptation between romantic partners, emerged as the most important predictor of relationship satisfaction. 'Influenced by others ' relationships ', a scale that overall measured the degree to which participants used other people's romantic relationships as a measure of comparison and as a source of influence for their relationship, was also a significant predictor of relationship satisfaction. Overall, the results suggest that other relationship variables such as those measured by the 'sharing and mutual adaptation ' and the 'influenced by others 'relationships' scales may play a much more defining role than attachment in relationship satisfaction. Implications of these results for theory, practice and future research are discussed.