Romantic relationship stress and attachment behaviors as mediators between Gottman relationship dynamics and relationship quality: A dyadic study

The aim of this study is to examine, from a dyadic perspective, the mediating roles of perceived romantic relationship stress and basic attachment behaviors in the association between Gottman Method–based romantic relationship dynamics and relationship quality among married couples. Grounded in the assumption that relational processes should be understood not only at the individual level but also within the context of partners' mutual interdependence, the study was designed within the Actor–Partner Interdependence Mediation Model (APIMeM). The sample consisted of 202 heterosexual married couples. Data were collected using the Perceived Stress Scale in Romantic Relationships, The Divorce Predictors Scale–Short Form, The Perceived Relationship Quality Components Inventory–Short Form, and the Brief Accessibility, Responsiveness, and Engagement Scale. Findings indicated that, in the link between Gottman relationship dynamics and relationship quality, both perceived romantic relationship stress and basic attachment behaviors played significant actor-mediated roles, whereas partner-mediated effects were limited. These results suggest that relationship quality is shaped predominantly by individuals' own internal stress experiences and attachment-related regulatory processes rather than by partner effects per se. Moreover, gender-specific findings indicate that partner effects operate primarily through emotion-focused and intrapersonal processes, such as perceived romantic relationship stress, for women, whereas for men they operate through behavior-focused and relational responses, such as basic attachment behaviors. In this regard, the study demonstrates that dyadic analysis is not merely a technique for testing reciprocal influences but also provides a comprehensive framework for understanding how intraindividual processes operate within a relational context.