Associations Between Adult Attachment and Social Anxiety in Romantic Partner Situations: Does Perceived Dyadic Coping Play a Mediational Role?

Adult attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance are associated with negative individual and relational outcomes. However, it is unknown whether these insecure attachment styles are associated with social anxiety in romantic partner situations, and whether dyadic coping may play a mediating role in these associations. The current study tested these possibilities. A community sample of adults who reported being in a romantic relationship ( N = 88) completed measures of adult attachment, dyadic coping style of their partner, and a newly developed measure of social anxiety for romantic partner situations. Attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance were significantly and positively associated with social anxiety in romantic partner situations. Perceived negative dyadic coping partially mediated these associations, whereas perceived supportive dyadic coping did not mediate these associations. These findings suggest that an individual’s insecure attachment style is associated with higher social anxiety levels in relation to their romantic partner, and this association is in part accounted for by the perception of negative dyadic coping of the partner in response to stressors within the relationship. The findings also highlight the importance of relationship-based mediators in explaining links between insecure adult attachment styles and their outcomes.