Is Touch in Romantic Relationships Universally Beneficial for Psychological Well-Being? The Role of Attachment Avoidance

Abstract

Affectionate touch is crucial for well-being. However, attachment avoidance is associated with negative attitudes toward touch. We tested two preregistered hypotheses about how attachment avoidance influences the association between touch in romantic couples and psychological well-being. We examined whether greater attachment avoidance is associated with a reduced link between touch and well-being, and/or whether reduced touch mediates the relationship between attachment avoidance and lower well-being. Across three studies, including two dyadic ones, we measured retrospective self-reports (Studies 1 and 2), laboratory observations (Study 2), and daily experiences (Study 3) of touch. Touch and well-being were positively associated, and attachment avoidance was associated with lower well-being and less frequent touch. Touch was associated with greater well-being regardless of level of attachment avoidance, and less frequent touch mediated the negative association between attachment avoidance and well-being in most analyses. This underscores the importance of touch, even for those valuing distance and autonomy.

Social touch deprivation during COVID-19: effects on psychological wellbeing and craving interpersonal touch

“…present before COVID-19) and future studies should examine this issue. Indeed, past research has shown that attachment avoidance is associated with less frequent touch experience [ 15 ] and it is possible that such effects extend to wanting as well.…”

“…However, a particularly effective form of communicating (non-verbal) support, which in addition facilitates the formation and maintenance of social bonds, is touch [8][9][10]. The potential benefits of touch have been studied in many fields, ranging from animal studies to developmental and adult psychological and neuroscientific studies in humans [11][12][13][14][15]. On the one hand, social touch is thought to possess positive hedonic value (although clearly this value depends on the specific context, i.e.…”

“…In humans, caregiving touch is essential for growth and development in infancy and for wellbeing and bonding in adulthood. Touch actively reduces infant stress by increasing positive affect [25,26] and calms infants in pain and discomfort [14]. In the context of attachment theory [27], studies support the facilitating role of touch in establishing the social bond between infant and carers [28][29][30].…”

“…For example, in children, touch deprivation is associated with struggles in learning to speak [ 45 ], sleep problems and school performance [ 46 ] and aggression [ 47 ]. In adults, touch deprivation is associated with higher mood and anxiety symptoms [ 48 ], depression [ 49 ], perceived loneliness [ 37 ] and worse wellbeing more generally [ 15 ]. However, given physical distancing regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic, our ability to provide and receive this type of support has probably been affected.…”

Individual and relational differences in desire for touch in romantic relationships

“…Overtly affectionate touch may be desired by more and less avoidant people because it is an unambiguous communication of the strength of the emotional bond and may therefore allow avoidantly attached people to “let their guards down” (Girme et al, 2015). Indeed, recent research showed positive associations between overtly affectionate touch and well-being regardless of attachment avoidance level (Debrot et al, 2020). Accordingly, overtly affectionate touch interventions may be more beneficial for avoidantly attached people than casual/playful touch interventions.…”