The effect of attachment styles and forgiveness level on marital satisfaction

In this study, it is aimed to examine the effect of attachment styles and forgiveness level on marital satisfaction. A total of 522 people, 316 females and 206 males, aged 25 and over and married for at least 1 year, participated in the study/research. Within the scope of the research, the Personal Information Form, the Three-Dimensional Attachment Styles Scale (TDAS), the Scale of Forgiveness in Interpersonal Relationships (SFIR) and the Marital Satisfaction Scale (MSS) were administered to the participants. The obtained data were subjected to statistical analysis and Pearson correlation analysis was performed to determine the associations between the variables, and multiple linear regression analysis was performed to predict marital satisfaction and sub-dimension scores with attachment styles and forgiveness scores in interpersonal relationships. According to the findings of the study, the relationship between Secure and Anxious-Ambivalent Attachment styles and all sub-dimensions of the Marital Satisfaction Scale was statistically significant. Avoidant Attachment was found to be related to all sub-dimensionns except Intimacy, Parentel Apprehension and Anger. While only Intimacy and The Relationship with the Parent in Law sub-dimensions of the MSS were correlated with the total score of the SFIR, there was no statistically significant relationship between the other sub-dimensions. Also no significant relationship was observed between Orientation to the Problem and Focusing on Positive sub-dimensions of the SFIR and any sub-dimensions of the MSS. The relationship between attachment styles and forgiveness was also examined; all sub-dimensions of the Three Dimensional Attachment Styles Scale were found to be significant with forgiveness. The results revealed that all three attachment styles were effective in marital satisfaction, but forgiveness in interpersonal relationships had no effect on marital satisfaction. It is thought that the findings of this study will guide psychologists, couple therapists and family counselors, contribute to the existing literature, and especially the lack of effect of forgiveness on marital satisfaction will provide a new starting point for researchers for future studies.