Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior to Intentions to Seek Couple Therapy: The Role of Attachment, Relationship Satisfaction, and Expectations

• Main Author: Megale, Allison A
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01-01-2023
• Subjects: Counseling Psychology; Educational psychology; Mental health; Social psychology
• ISBN: 9798379438715

Although the negative consequences of relationship distress on mental health symptoms have been amply documented (e.g., Beach & Whisman, 2012), many distressed couples do not seek professional help (Cicila et al., 2014). While previous studies identified various barriers to help seeking, such as financial concerns and a lack of childcare (Williamson et al., 2019), there is limited knowledge of psychological factors that encourage distressed couples to seek help. Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB; Azjen, 1991), the present study examined several predictors of a person’s intention to seek couple therapy. Participants were a convenience sample of 665 adults (362 men, 300 women, 70.1% married) who indicated being unhappy, unrewarded, or dissatisfied in their committed relationship but no prior couple therapy experience. Structural equational modeling was used to test the direct and indirect contributions of attachment orientation, relationship satisfaction, role and outcome expectations, to the four TPB constructs: attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and intentions. A revised model demonstrated adequate fit and numerous significant pathways. Specifically, anxious attachment and current relationship satisfaction had positive indirect associations with intentions, through higher expectations, whereas avoidant attachment had a negative indirect association with help-seeking intentions, through lower expectations. In turn, outcome expectations and expectations for the participant’s own engagement in couple therapy (but not for their partner’s engagement) had positive indirect associations with intentions, through greater subjective norms and perceived behavioral control (but not attitudes).Additionally, relationship satisfaction had a positive indirect association with intentions through perceived behavioral control. Notably, examination of gender differences showed that men, but not women, reporting high avoidant attachment had lower expectations for their own participation in couple therapy, less perceived behavioral control, and lower help-seeking intentions.Taken together, these results support the TPB’s application to help-seeking intentions and suggest that attachment orientation, expectations for couple therapy, current relationship satisfaction, and gender play significant but different roles in predicting whether an individual experiencing a romantic relationship problem might seek couple therapy. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for practice and future research.