Linking Attachment Orientations and Romantic Relationship Quality: The Role of Trait Mindfulness and Relationship Mindfulness

The current research examined the underlying mechanisms by which attachment insecurities negatively impact romantic relationship quality, from the perspective of trait mindfulness and relationship mindfulness. Study 1 ( N = 234) tested whether trait mindfulness mediated the link between attachment insecurities and relationship satisfaction, but found no mediation effect. Study 2 ( N = 286), a dyadic design, examined relationship mindfulness as a mediator and found that it mediated the link between individuals’ own attachment insecurities and relationship satisfaction. Additionally, women’s relationship mindfulness mediated the effect of men’s attachment insecurities on women’s relationship satisfaction. Study 3 ( N = 276) extended these findings, demonstrating that relationship mindfulness mediated the link between attachment avoidance and relationship quality, even when controlling for trait mindfulness. Although cross-sectional, findings across the three studies suggest that relationship mindfulness may be key for understanding relationship functioning. Implications for theory, limitations, and future research are discussed.