Abstract
Introduction
Gay men form and maintain romantic relationships in the face of stigma and discrimination, negatively impacting their well-being. Early experiences with caregivers likely influence well-being and may later impact the satisfaction felt in the romantic relationships of gay men.
Method
Following the 2017 legalization of same-sex marriage in Australia, 198 self-identified gay men were surveyed between June and July2019, to examine the role of well-being in the association between attachment style and relationship satisfaction.
Results
Results revealed securely attached men demonstrated higher levels of well-being and relationship satisfaction. Men with higher levels of anxiety and avoidant attachment had lower well-being and relationship satisfaction. Well-being partially mediated the relationship between attachment style and relationship satisfaction.
Conclusions
Results highlight the significant contributing role of well-being among gay men in the association between attachment processes and the satisfaction felt in their romantic relationships. Our findings suggest that insecure attachment styles are associated with reduced well-being and may place gay men at risk for poorer relationship outcomes.
Policy Implications
Our findings support the idea for researchers and clinicians to be mindful of the influence of attachment processes on well-being when working with gay male couples. Ongoing practitioner training should include a focus on these predictors of relationship quality for gay men. As social and public policy continues to move forward, it will be important to monitor how marriage equality evolves and the impact it continues to have on same-sex relationship outcomes.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ainsworth, M. D., Blehar, M. C., Waters, E., & Wall, S. N. (2015). Patterns of attachment: A psychological study of the strange situation. Psychology Press.
Anderson, J. R., & Holland, E. (2015). The legacy of medicalising ‘homosexuality’: A discussion on the historical effects of non-heterosexual diagnostic classifications. Sensoria, 2015, 11(1), 4–15. https://doi.org/10.7790/sa.v11i1.405
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2018). Same-sex marriage in Australia - A 2018 snapshot. https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/featurearticlesbyCatalogue/48374764283E7650CA258351001009AA
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2018). Australia’s health series no. 16. Canberra: AIHW. https://aihw.gov.au/getmedia/61521da0-9892-44a5-85af-857b3eef25c1/aihw-aus-221-chapter-5-5.pdf.aspx
Badgett, M. L. (2011). Social inclusion and the value of marriage equality in Massachusetts and the Netherlands. Journal of Social Issues, 67(2), 316–334. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.2011.01700.x
Baiocco, R., Fontanesi, L., Santamaria, F., Ioverno, S., Marasco, B., Baumgartner, E., Willoughby, B. L., & Laghi, F. (2015). Negative parental responses to coming out and family functioning in a sample of lesbian and gay young adults. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 24(5), 1490–1500. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-014-9954-z
Beard, K., Eames, C., & Withers, P. (2017). The role of self-compassion in the well-being of self-identifying gay men. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health, 21(1), 77–96. https://doi.org/10.1080/19359705.2016.1233163
Bech, P., Olsen, L. R., Kjoller, M., & Rasmussen, N. K. (2003). Measuring well-being rather than the absence of distress symptoms: A comparison of the SF-36 mental health subscale and the WHO-Five well-being scale. International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research, 12(2), 85–91. https://doi.org/10.1002/mpr.145
Belous, C. K., & Wampler, R. S. (2016). Development of the gay and lesbian relationship satisfaction scale. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 42(3), 451–465. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12158
Bowlby, J. (1979). The making & breaking of affectional bonds. Routledge.
Brassard, A., Lussier, Y., & Shaver, P. R. (2009). Attachment, perceived conflict, and couple satisfaction: Test of a mediational dyadic model. Family Relations, 58(5), 634–646.
Brown, J., Ramirez, O. M., & Schniering, C. (2013). Finding love: Passion, intimacy, and commitment in the relationships of gay men. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 34(1), 32–53. https://doi.org/10.1002/anzf.1004
Candel, O.-S., & Turliuc, M. N. (2019). Insecure attachment and relationship satisfaction: A meta-analysis of actor and partner associations. Personality and Individual Differences, 147, 190–199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2019.04.037
Cheng, H. L., McDermott, R. C., & Lopez, F. G. (2015). Mental health, self-stigma, and help-seeking intentions among emerging adults: An attachment perspective. The Counseling Psychologist, 43(3), 463–487. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000014568203
Chi Kuan Mak, M., Bond, M. H., Simpson, J. A., & Rholes, W. S. (2010). Adult attachment, perceived support, and depressive symptoms in Chinese and American cultures. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 29(2), 144–165.
Cohen, J. (2013). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences. Routledge.
Collins, N. L. (1996). Working models of attachment: Implications for explanation, emotion, and behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 71(4), 810. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.71.4.810
Cook, S. H., & Calebs, B. J. (2016). The integrated attachment and sexual minority stress model: Understanding the role of adult attachment in the health and well-being of sexual minority men. Behavioral Medicine, 42(3), 164–173. https://doi.org/10.1080/08964289.2016.1165173
Diener, E., & Seligman, M. E. (2002). Very happy people. Psychological Science, 13(1), 81–84. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9280.00415
Diener, E., Suh, E., Lucas, R., et al. (1999). Subjective well-being: Three decades of progress. Psychological Bulletin 125(2), 276–302.
Feeney, J. A. (2016). Adult romantic attachment: Development in the study of couple relationships. In J. Cassidy, & Shaver, P. R. (Ed.), Handbook of attachment: Theory, research, and clinical applications (3rd ed., pp. 435–463). Guilford.
Feeney, J. A., & Noller, P. (2004). Attachment and sexuality in close relationships. In The handbook of sexuality in close relationships (pp. 193–212). Psychology Press.
Field, A. (2013). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics (4th ed.). Sage.
Fingerhut, A. W., & Peplau, L. A. (2013). Same-sex romantic relationships. In C. J. Patterson & A. R. D'Augelli (Eds.), Handbook of psychology and sexual orientation (pp. 165–178). Oxford University Press.
Fitzpatrick, J., & Lafontaine, M. F. (2017). Attachment, trust, and satisfaction in relationships: Investigating actor, partner, and mediating effects: Attachment, trust, and relationship satisfaction. Personal Relationships, 24(3), 640–662. https://doi.org/10.1111/pere.12203
Fuller, K. A., & Rutter, P. A. (2018). Perceptions of parental acceptance or rejection: How does it impact LGB adult relationship quality and satisfaction? Journal of GLBT Family Studies, 14(4), 317–336. https://doi.org/10.1080/1550428X.2017.1347077
Furman, W., Simon, V. A., Shaffer, L., & Bouchey, H. A. (2002). Adolescents’ working models and styles for relationships with parents, friends, and romantic partners. Child Development, 73(1), 241–255. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8624.00403
Gonzales, G., Przedworski, J., & Henning-Smith, C. (2016). Comparison of health and health risk factors between lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults and heterosexual adults in the United States: Results from the National Health Interview Survey. JAMA Internal Medicine, 176(9), 1344–1351. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.3432
Gottman, J. M., Levenson, R. W., Swanson, C., Swanson, K., Tyson, R., & Yoshimoto, D. (2003). Observing gay, lesbian and heterosexual couples’ relationships: Mathematical modeling of conflict interaction. Journal of Homosexuality, 45(1), 65–91. https://doi.org/10.1300/J082v45n01_04
Graham, J., & Barnow, Z. (2013). Stress and social support in gay, lesbian, and heterosexual couples: Direct effects and buffering models. Journal of Family Psychology, 27(4), 569–578. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0033420
Hayes, A. F. (2018). Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: A regression-based approach (2nd ed.). The Guilford Press.
Hazan, C., & Shaver, P. (1987). Romantic love conceptualized as an attachment process. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52(3), 511. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-008-9393-2
Kimmes, J. G., Durtschi, J. A., Clifford, C. E., Knapp, D. J., & Fincham, F. D. (2015). The role of pessimistic attributions in the association between anxious attachment and relationship satisfaction. Family Relations, 64(4), 547–562. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12130
Kurdek, L. A. (2005). What do we know about gay and lesbian couples? Current Directions in Psychological Science, 14(5), 251–254. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0963-7214.2005.00375.x
Lampis, J., De Simone, S., & Belous, C. K. (2021). Relationship satisfaction, social support, and psychological well-being in a sample of Italian lesbian and gay individuals. Journal of GLBT Family Studies, 17(1), 49–62. https://doi.org/10.1080/1550428X.2020.1724844
Leonard, W., Pitts, M., Mitchell, A., Lyons, A., Smith, A., Patel, S., Couch, M., Barrett, A. (2012). Private lives 2: The second national survey of the health and wellbeing of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) Australians. Melbourne: Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health & Society, La Trobe University. http://hdl.handle.net/1959.9/521906
Londero-Santos, A., Natividade, J. C., & Féres-Carneiro, T. (2020). Attachment and Relationship Satisfaction: Mediating Role of Perception of the Partner's Investment. Journal of Relationships Research, 11.
Lucas, J. (2018). Thousands of couples have tied the knot since Australia legalised same-sex marriage. ABC News. https://abc.net.au/news/2018-12-09/thousands-of-same-sex-couples-tie-the-knot-in-australia/10598058
Lucas, R. E., & Diener, E. (2015). Personality and subjective well-being: Current issues and controversies. In P. R. Mikulincer, M. L. Cooper, & R. J. Larsen (Eds.), APA handbook of personality and social psycholgy (Vol. 4, pp. 577–599). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/14343-026
Lyubomirsky, S., King, L., & Diener, E. (2005). The benefits of frequent positive affect: Does happiness lead to success? Psychological Bulletin, 131(6), 803. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.131.6.803
Markey, C. N., Markey, P. M., & Gray, H. F. (2007). Romantic relationships and health: An examination of individuals’ perceptions of their romantic partners’ influences on their health. Sex Roles, 57(5–6), 435. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-007-9266-5
McConnell, E. A., Birkett, M., & Mustanski, B. (2016). Families matter: Social support and mental health trajectories among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth. Journal of Adolescent Health, 59(6), 674–680. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2016.07.026
Meyer, I. H. (2015). Resilience in the study of minority stress and health of sexual and gender minorities. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, 2(3), 209. https://doi.org/10.1037/sgd0000132
Meyers, S. A., & Landsberger, S. A. (2002). Direct and indirect pathways between adult attachment style and marital satisfaction. Personal Relationships, 9(2), 159–172. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6811.00010
Michaels, M. S., Parent, M. C., & Torrey, C. L. (2016). A minority stress model for suicidal ideation in gay men. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 46(1), 23–34. https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.12169
Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2016). Attachment in adulthood: Structure, dynamics, and change (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
Mohr, J. J., Selterman, D., & Fassinger, R. E. (2013). Romantic attachment and relationship functioning in same-sex couples. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 60(1), 72. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0030994
Pachankis, J. E., Goldfried, M. R., & Ramrattan, M. E. (2008). Extension of the rejection sensitivity construct to the interpersonal functioning of gay men. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 76(2), 306. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.76.2.306
Parsons, J. T., Starks, T. J., DuBois, S., Grov, C., & Golub, S. A. (2013). Alternatives to monogamy among gay male couples in a community survey: Implications for mental health and sexual risk. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 42(2), 303–312. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-011-9885-3
Peplau, L. A., & Fingerhut, A. W. (2007). The close relationships of lesbians and gay men. Annual Review of Psychology, 58, 405–424. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.58.110405.085701
Popa-Velea, O., Diaconescu, L. V., Ion, F. A., Ştefancu, D., & Truţescu, C. (2019). Attachment style and perceived discrimination: Associations with depression among young lesbian, gay, and bisexual Romanian adults. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 36(10), 3259–3272. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407518815775
Preacher, K. J., & Kelley, K. (2011). Effect size measures for mediation models: Quantitative strategies for communicating indirect effects. Psychological Methods, 16(2), 93. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0022658
Ramirez, O. M., & Brown, J. (2010). Attachment style, rules regarding sex, and couple satisfaction: A study of gay male couples. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 31(2), 202–213. https://doi.org/10.1375/anft.31.2.202
Riggle, E. D., Rostosky, S. S., & Horne, S. G. (2010). Psychological distress, well-being, and legal recognition in same-sex couple relationships. Journal of Family Psychology, 24(1), 82. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017942
Riggle, E. D. B., Wickham, R. E., Rostosky, S. S., Rothblum, E. D., & Balsam, K. F. (2017). Impact of civil marriage recognition for long-term same-sex couples. Sexuality Research & Social Policy, 14(2), 223–232. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-016-0243-z
Roisman, G., Clausell, E., Holland, A., Fortuna, K., & Elieff, C. (2008). Adult romantic relationships as contexts of human development: A multimethod comparison of same-sex couples with opposite-sex dating, engaged, and married dyads. Developmental Psychology, 44(1), 91–101. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.44.1.91
Ryan, W. S., Legate, N., Weinstein, N., & Rahman, Q. (2017). Autonomy support fosters lesbian, gay, and bisexual identity disclosure and wellness, especially for those with internalized homophobia. Journal of Social Issues, 73(2), 289–306. https://doi.org/10.1111/josi.12217
Starks, T. J., & Parsons, J. T. (2014). Adult attachment among partnered gay men: Patterns and associations with sexual relationship quality. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 43(1), 107–117. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-013-0224-8
Sommantico, M., Donizzetti, A. R., Parrello, S., & De Rosa, B. (2019). Gay and lesbian couples’ relationship quality: Italian validation of the gay and lesbian relationship satisfaction scale (GLRSS). Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health, 23(3), 326–348. https://doi.org/10.1080/19359705.2019.1621231
Sommantico, M., Iorio, I., Lacatena, M., & Parrello, S. (2021). Adult attachment, differentiation of self, and relationship satisfaction in lesbians and gay men. Contemporary Family Therapy, 43(2), 154–164. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-020-09563-5
Sommantico, M., & Parrello, S. (2021). Internalized stigma, adult attachment, relationship satisfaction, and depression in Italian gay and bisexual men: The mediating role of emotion regulation. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/19359705.2021.1913463
Sommantico, M., Santa, P., & De Rosa, B. (2020). Lesbian and gay relationship satisfaction among Italians: Adult attachment, social support, and internalized stigma. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 49(5), 1811–1822. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-020-01736-5
Starks, T. J., Newcomb, M. E., & Mustanski, B. (2015). A longitudinal study of interpersonal relationships among lesbian, gay, and bisexual adolescents and young adults: Mediational pathways from attachment to romantic relationship quality. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 44(7), 1821–1831. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-015-0492-6
Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2013). Using multivariate statistic. (Pearson new international edition.). Pearson Education Limited.
Umberson, D., & Kroeger, R. A. (2016). Gender, marriage, and health for same-sex and different-sex couples: The future keeps arriving. In McHale S., King V., Van Hook J., Booth A. (eds.), Gender and Couple Relationships (pp. 189–213). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-21635-5_12
Vale, M. T., & Bisconti, T. L. (2021). Minority stress and relationship well-being in sexual minorities: The varying role of outness on relationship and sexual satisfaction. International Journal of Sexual Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/19317611.2021.1909684
Vollmann, M., Sprang, S., & van den Brink, F. (2019). Adult attachment and relationship satisfaction: The mediating role of gratitude toward the partner. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 36(11–12), 3875–3886. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407519841712
Waring, A., Kernes, J. L., & Bui, N. H. (2019). The role of attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and grit on life satisfaction and relationship satisfaction. The Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 2216781984469. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022167819844692
Wight, R. G., LeBlanc, A. J., & Badgett, M. L. (2013). Same-sex legal marriage and psychological well-being: Findings from the California health interview survey. American Journal of Public Health, 103(2), 339–346. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2012.301113
Funding
The study was supported by funding from the Australian Catholic University. The findings and conclusions reported are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the funding organization.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Informed Consent and Ethics Approval
All participants provided informed consent to participate and procedures were reviewed by the Australian Catholic University Human Research Ethics Committee (approval number: S0000125196; 2019-52EAP).
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Trachtenberg-Ray, D., Modesto, O. Attachment and Relationship Satisfaction Among Gay Men: the Mediating Role of Well-Being. Sex Res Soc Policy 20, 453–464 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-021-00634-2
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-021-00634-2