Concurrent and Longitudinal Associations Between Childhood Trauma, Attachment and Relationship Satisfaction in Couples

Objective This longitudinal study examined the dyadic associations between childhood trauma (CT) and relationship satisfaction, and the role of attachment insecurity therein. Background CT is a known risk factor for couple dissatisfaction. One conceptual framework that may explain this association is attachment theory, which suggests that abusive or neglectful primary caregivers in childhood contribute to the development of insecure adult attachment and in turn, to lower romantic relationship satisfaction. Yet past studies examining the role of CT in adult couple relationships have primarily used cross-sectional and individual-level designs, limiting our understanding of how CT influences couples’ relationship satisfaction over time. Method A convenience sample of 210 heterosexual cisgender and sexually/gender diverse community couples (M age = 31 years old, SD = 8.50) completed online questionnaires at three time points (baseline, 6 months and 12 months) over one year. Based on the Actor-Partner Independence Model, cross-sectional and longitudinal mediation models were conducted. Results A person’s greater history of CT was linked to both their own and their partner’s lower relationship satisfaction concurrently and with their own lower relationship satisfaction 12 months later. Attachment anxiety was a significant mediator of these associations. Conclusion Results highlight the contribution of attachment anxiety as a central mechanism to couples’ relationship satisfaction in the aftermath of CT. They also underscore the enduring influence of distal interpersonal vulnerabilities on proximal relational outcomes via their expression in adult attachment dynamics, supporting the need for attachment- and trauma-informed care.