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Infidelity and Attachment: The Moderating Role of Race/Ethnicity

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Abstract

Couples therapists often describe infidelity as one of the most difficult clinical concerns to address. A contributing factor to this difficulty is the notable lack of research on extradyadic involvement (EDI) among diverse couples to develop an effective treatment approach. To address this gap in the extant literature, we examined racial/ethnic differences in the association between attachment style and EDI. We found that high attachment avoidance (fearful and dismissing) was identified as a risk factor for EDI among African American/Black participants, whereas an inverse relationship between fearful attachment and EDI was revealed among European/White participants in the sample. Further, high avoidance associated with fearful and dismissing attachment did not predict EDI among Latino participants. The comprehensive results of this study indicate that attachment—informed approaches must take cultural values and beliefs into consideration among couples affected by infidelity. Clinical implications for these findings are offered.

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  1. Marriage & Family Therapy Program, University of Saint Joseph, West Hartford, CT, 06117, USA

    M. L. Parker

  2. Department of Psychology, California State University, San Bernardino, USA

    Kelly Campbell

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Correspondence to M. L. Parker.

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Parker, M.L., Campbell, K. Infidelity and Attachment: The Moderating Role of Race/Ethnicity. Contemp Fam Ther 39, 172–183 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-017-9415-0

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