Attachment Style and the “Wicked Stepmother” Spiral

While some researchers have found that stepmothers have more difficulty than stepfathers in establishing positive relationships with their stepchildren, others have found stepmothers can, and do, have positive relationships. Stepmothers (N = 154) were surveyed to determine if adult attachment style is related to becoming a wicked stepmother. The findings indicate that attachment style does impact the likelihood to follow a downward spiral into negative relations between stepmothers and stepchildren. Particularly, stepmothers with secure and anxious attachment styles were more likely to feel inadequate in their relationships with stepchildren, while those with an avoidant style were more likely to perceive that they treat their stepchildren unfairly.