Relationship satisfaction: The role of love styles and attachment styles

Abstract

The current study used three adult attachment styles: secure, avoidant and anxious/resistant (Hazan and Shaver 1987) and six lovestyles: Eros, Ludus, Storge, Mania, Pragma and Agape (Lee 1973) to predict sexual and relationship satisfaction. The sample of 111 (64 women, 46 men, 1 sex unstated) were either currently or recently in a relationship of three months or more. Regressions to test a mediational model of sexual satisfaction on relationship satisfaction showed that the Eros lovestyle had a direct positive effect on relationship satisfaction and an indirect positive effect on relational satisfaction via sexual satisfaction, while Ludus and avoidant attachment both exhibited direct negative effects on relationship satisfaction, and indirect negative effects on relationship satisfaction via sexual satisfaction.