Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Or Dagan

Second Advisor

Ki Eun Shin

Third Advisor

Theodore E.A. Waters

Abstract

According to attachment theory, attachment representations shape the way in which individuals obtain and organize social information. One facet of social information processing that has been studied in relation to attachment representations is memory reconstruction, which is the process by which previous experiences and prior knowledge shape the recollection of past events. In this study, we examined how secure base script knowledge, an aspect of attachment representations that reflects access to a temporal-causal sequence regarding receiving support from close others, predicts changes in how romantic partners perceive conflict resolution discussions over time. Members of engaged couples (N =154) rated levels of support offered and received during conflict resolution discussions with their fiancés immediately following the interaction and at a four-week follow-up. Results indicated that ASA did not significantly predict changes in perceptions of conflict resolution discussions with romantic partners over time. These findings diverge from previous research that supports an association between attachment representations and changes in memory of conflict interactions. Findings from the current study suggest that secure base script knowledge may not be an effective intervention target for improving relationship quality.

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