A.R.E. You There for Me? The Relationship Between Attachment, Communication, and Relationship Satisfaction of Law Enforcement Officers and Their Partners

• Published in: Journal of couple & relationship therapy Vol. 17; no. 4; pp. 338 - 361
• Main Authors: Brimhall, Andrew S., Bonner, Heidi S., Tyndall, Lisa, Jensen, Jakob F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 02-10-2018; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: attachment theory; Communication; Couple research; Couples; Interpersonal communication; Law enforcement; law enforcement officers; Marriage counseling; marriage/couple relationship functioning; Police; Social research
• ISSN: 1533-2691; 1533-2683
• DOI: 10.1080/15332691.2018.1483279

Law enforcement officers (LEO) and their partners face many stressors. Secure attachments minimize stress but building secure bonds require meaningful interactions; interactions impeded by LEO's culture of suppressing feelings. Study participants included 54 male officers and their partners. Using dyadic data, 3 APIMs were used to explore the association between attachment, communication, and satisfaction. Results suggest that secure behaviors increase constructive communication, decrease demand-withdrawal, and increase satisfaction. It appears that male behaviors have a stronger influence on the findings than female partners. Clinicians are encouraged to consider interventions that not only increase secure bonds but engage the male partner.