نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی
نویسندگان
1 دانشیار، گروه روانشناسی، دانشگاه پیام نور، تهران، ایران.
2 کارشناسی ارشد روانشناسی، اداره آموزش و پرورش شهرستان پارس آباد، اردبیل، ایران.
چکیده
کلیدواژهها
عنوان مقاله [English]
نویسندگان [English]
Introduction: For many adults, relationships with their spouses are among the most significant connections in life. A fulfilling romantic relationship is a strong predictor of psychological well-being, physical health, and overall life satisfaction. Paranoid thoughts and fear of intimacy are critical factors in determining the stability of marital relationships.
Method: The aim of this study was to investigate the mediating role of attachment styles in the relationship between fear of intimacy and paranoid thoughts, as well as their impact on marital problems among couples. The research was descriptive and correlational, with the study population consisting of all couples in Ardebil city. A sample of 250 individuals was selected using a convenience sampling method. Participants in the study included 108 females and 142 males, who were asked to complete the Fear of Intimacy Scale (FIS), the Adult Attachment Questionnaire (ECR-R), the Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire (GRIMS), and the Revised Paranoid Thought Scale (R-GPTS). Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and path analysis, employing SPSS version 26 and AMOS version 24 software.
Results: The results indicated that fear of intimacy and paranoid thoughts are significantly positively correlated with avoidant and anxious attachment styles. Additionally, avoidant and anxious attachment styles also show a significant positive relationship with marital problems among couples.
Discussion and conclusion: The results of the path analysis confirm that attachment styles mediate the relationship between fear of intimacy, paranoid thoughts, and marital problems in couples.
Extended Abstract
Introduction
In many adults, a romantic and satisfying relationship with a spouse predicts psychological well-being and physical health. One of the most significant obstacles to forming and maintaining a genuine relationship is the fear of intimacy, which is a key factor contributing to the separation and divorce of couples. Fear of intimacy refers to an individual's limited ability to share personal thoughts and feelings with significant people in their life, such as a spouse, as well as a fear of becoming dependent on others. It makes him uncomfortable, leading to less self-disclosure and an increased likelihood of losing the approval of others, including his wife. Paranoia is closely related to insecure attachment styles. Paranoia is an unfounded or exaggerated belief characterized by feelings of harassment, conspiracy, and interpersonal threats. Because paranoia involves mistrust and a negative perception of others, it is often associated with insecure attachment styles. The current research highlights the role of attachment style in the formation of paranoid thoughts and its impact on intimate interpersonal relationships. On the other hand, elevated levels of paranoid thoughts are associated with a poor response to treatment, increased hospitalization rates, social isolation, and a diminished quality of life. Therefore, paying attention to these thoughts and identifying them can enhance the quality of life and improve intimate interactions. This research aims to test the hypothesis regarding the role of attachment styles in the relationship between fear of intimacy, paranoid thoughts, and marital problems.
Method
The present study was a descriptive correlational study utilizing the path analysis method. The statistical population comprised all couples in Ardabil city in 2022 who had lived together for at least three years. From this population, 250 individuals were selected using an availability sampling method and were asked to complete the research questionnaires. Pearson's correlation coefficient and path analysis were employed for data analysis.
Measurements
Fear of Intimacy Questionnaire: The Fear of Intimacy Questionnaire, developed by Descatner and Thelan, consists of 35 items divided into two parts. The first part contains 30 questions, where participants are asked to imagine themselves in a close emotional relationship and complete the questionnaire accordingly. In the second part, they must respond based on their past relationships. In Iran, Basharat assessed the reliability of the questionnaire using Cronbach's alpha method, which yielded a coefficient of 0.91.
The Experiences in Close Relationships Revised Questionnaire: It was designed by Fraley and his colleagues. In the study conducted by Neelforoshan, the internal consistency for anxious and avoidant attachment was found to be 0.88 and 0.89, respectively.
Glomberk-Rost Marital Status Questionnaire: This questionnaire is designed to assess the loyalty, partnership, trust, commitment, intimacy, and empathy within couples. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was reported as 0.92 for a sample of women and 0.94 for men.
Green et al.'s Paranoid Thoughts Scale (GPTS): This scale was developed by Green and his colleagues to assess the characteristics and traits associated with paranoid thinking. In the study conducted by Kol-Emad, Kraskian, and Bahrami, significant validity and reliability were reported.
Results
In this study, 143 men (57.2%) and 107 women (42.8%) were examined. The participants were aged between 18 and 50 years, with an average age of 34.3 years (standard deviation: 8.97). The average duration of marriage among the participants was 9.26 years (standard deviation: 8.27), and they had, on average, one child.
To investigate the research hypothesis that avoidant and anxious attachment play a mediating role in the relationship between fear of intimacy and paranoid thoughts related to marital problems, path analysis was conducted using AMOS 23 software. The results of the model fit are presented in Table 1.
Table 1. The goodness of fit indices of the proposed model
Fit amount
optimal
Parameter
2.80
Good<3;Average<5
df/X2
0.0001
Good>0.05
P
0.90
Good>0.90
CFI
0.91
Good>0.90
GFI
0.93
Good>0.90
NFI
0.018
Good 0.05 to 0.1; Great<0.05
RMSEA
The findings presented in Table 1 demonstrate an excellent fit for the model. Analyzing the measurement parameters of the direct relationships among the variables in the proposed model reveals that the effect of fear of intimacy on anxious attachment style (β = 0.71) and avoidant attachment style (β = 0.65) is both direct and significant. The effects of anxious attachment style (β = 0.69) and avoidant attachment style (β = 0.72) on marital problems are direct and significant; however, fear of intimacy does not have a direct effect on marital problems. The impact of paranoid thoughts on avoidant attachment style (β = 0.69) and anxious attachment style (β = 0.57) is both direct and significant. However, paranoid thoughts did not exert a direct effect on marital problems. The impact of fear of intimacy on marital issues is significant, particularly with the mediating role of anxious attachment style (β = 0.59). Additionally, the influence of fear of intimacy on marital problems is also significant when mediated by avoidant attachment style (β = 0.52). The impact of paranoid thoughts on marital issues is significant, operating indirectly through an anxious attachment style (β = 0.85). Additionally, the influence of paranoid thoughts on marital problems is also significant, functioning indirectly through an avoidant attachment style (β = 0.69).
Conclusion
The results of the path analysis indicate that fear of intimacy has a significant relationship with insecure attachment styles and marital problems, mediated indirectly. This finding suggests that experiencing intimacy necessitates the open expression of feelings, emotions, and self-disclosure in interpersonal relationships. Individuals who fear intimacy tend to avoid sharing their thoughts and feelings with their partners.
Also, refraining from expressing feelings and avoiding conflicts related to interpersonal emotions are characteristics of avoidant attachment. Individuals with this attachment style often feel uncomfortable establishing intimate relationships and may exhibit hostile reactions. Consequently, a greater fear of intimacy is observed in those with avoidant attachment.
Anxious dependents often possess a negative self-image. They fear rejection and worry that important people in their lives will not be available when needed. As a result, they seek approval and closeness from others. These individuals frequently encounter communication conflicts, even during positive interactions. This pattern may help explain their fear of intimacy.
Another finding of the current research is that paranoid thoughts have a significant relationship with avoidant and anxious attachment styles. This relationship suggests that insecure attachment styles contribute to the development of paranoia by reinforcing negative beliefs about oneself and others, as well as by heightening negative emotions, interpersonal sensitivity, and social withdrawal. Additionally, factors and mechanisms involved in the formation of paranoia and delusions include experiences of harassment.
The present study also encountered limitations. The study sample was selected using a convenience sampling method, and due to the spread of COVID-19, it was not possible to collect samples in person. Therefore, caution should be exercised when generalizing the findings.
Ethical Considerations
Ethical principles have been fully observed in this research. The participants were allowed to withdraw from the study at any time. Also, the participants were aware of the research process and their information remained confidential.
Compliance with Ethical Guidelines: All ethical considerations set out in the Helsinki Declaration have been considered in this study.
Funding: This research did not receive any grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or non-profit sectors.
Authors’ Contribution: Authors have participated in the design, implementation and writing of all sections of the present study.
Conflict of Interest: The authors declared no conflict of interest.
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