The Role of Attachment Behaviors – Accessibility, Responsiveness, and Engagement in Perceived Emotional Relational Safety: A Deductive Grounded Theory Inquiry

There is a body of literature that examines and describes couples’ relational quality and emotional security through an attachment lens. In recent years, there has been an increased focus on specific attachment behaviors, including accessibility, responsiveness, and engagement, and their role in creating and maintaining a secure attachment bond between romantic partners. The purpose of this study was to use deductive grounded theory methods to examine whether these three attachment behaviors are reflected in couples’ own descriptions of safety and security in their relationships. Analysis of secondary qualitative data from 26 interviews confirmed the importance of accessibility, responsiveness, and engagement in couple relationships, and adds descriptions of how individuals in couple relationships experience attachment strengthening interactions. These findings can help professionals and researchers become more sensitive to how attachment behaviors manifest in interactions and affect the quality of intimate relationships.