Parental Divorce and Interparental Conflict: Spanish Young Adults’ Attachment and Relationship Expectations

Abstract

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.

Parental Divorce Process and Post-Divorce Parental Behaviors and Strategies: Examining Emerging Adult Children’s Attachment-Related Anxiety and Avoidance

“…In fact, although some studies have found significant positive associations between parental divorce and children’s attachment, some other studies have not found such associations. For example, in a previous study [ 22 ], we found that parental divorce was not linked to higher attachment insecurity, as assessed through the attachment avoidance and anxiety dimensions. However, in the current study, which was conducted with the aim of shedding further light on these discrepancies, we did find some parental divorce process factors significantly associated with attachment-related anxiety and avoidance.…”

“…In this vein, although several studies have consistently concluded that adult children from divorced families, and especially women, are more likely to be insecurely attached than their counterparts from non-divorced families [ 9 , 13 , 18 , 19 ], the results are mixed. Furthermore, some other studies have failed to replicate these results, by not finding significant associations between parental divorce and adult children’s attachment-related strategies or representations [ 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]. These controversial results regarding the effects of parental divorce on adult children’s attachment-related representations might be because most of these studies have analyzed parental divorce as a single dichotomous variable by uniquely asking participants whether their parents were separated or divorced [ 22 ].…”

“…Furthermore, some other studies have failed to replicate these results, by not finding significant associations between parental divorce and adult children’s attachment-related strategies or representations [ 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]. These controversial results regarding the effects of parental divorce on adult children’s attachment-related representations might be because most of these studies have analyzed parental divorce as a single dichotomous variable by uniquely asking participants whether their parents were separated or divorced [ 22 ]. These prior studies have failed to examine circumstances surrounding the divorce process and the post-divorce period that might better explain variations in the effects of parental divorce on adult children’s attachment-related representations.…”

Marital Beliefs and Concerns of Spanish Emerging Adults

“…Despite previous research about the negative consequences of parental divorce (Cui & Fincham, 2010), there was no association between parents’ separation and marital beliefs. In Spain, parental divorce does not seem to affect relationship expectations (Smith-Etxeberria et al, 2020).…”

The reciprocal relationships between Chinese children’s perception of interparental conflict, negative thinking, and depression symptoms: A cross-lagged study

“…Therefore, we studied the impact of destructive IPC on child development. Evidence has suggested that parental divorce might relieve children of the stress resulting from continued exposure to high levels of conflict (Smith-Etxeberria et al, 2020). Although the percentage of divorce among Chinese parents is increasing over time, in general, marriages remain stable, with more than 93% of parents not getting divorced in China (Wang et al, 2021).…”