Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Or Dagan

Second Advisor

Marc J. Diener

Third Advisor

Theodore E. A. Waters

Abstract

Attachment representations guide expectations about the availability and responsiveness of attachment figures during times of need. These representations are shaped by early experiences of consistent, reliable caregiving and influence how individuals seek and receive support from close others across the lifespan. Secure base script knowledge, a temporal-causal sequence of events encompassing the essential elements of seeking and receiving support at times of need, is increasingly used to capture attachment representations. Research indicates that secure base script knowledge significantly predicts the quality of self-reported and observed romantic relationships. However, the extent to which secure base script behaviors (i.e., bidding for support, receiving or offering support, and feeling resolved) explain variation in romantic relationship quality remains largely unknown. This study examined the validity of a novel secure base script behaviors coding system- the Dyadic Secure Base Behaviors Scale- by assessing its predictive power on self-reported romantic relationship quality above and beyond secure base script knowledge. Community-engaged couples (N = 148) participated in a conflict-resolution task coded for secure base script behaviors, were assessed for secure base script knowledge, and completed self-report questionnaires measuring romantic relationship quality. Results indicated that higher quality and consistency of secure base script behaviors between romantic partners predicted greater self-reported warmth and lower hostility in romantic relationships, above and beyond secure base script knowledge, and sociodemographic covariates. Secure base script behavior scores were not associated with relationship aspects reflecting levels of agreement on practical issues. Findings from the current study suggest that the secure base script behaviors coding system may serve as a tool for understanding dyadic attachment processes and guiding interventions to improve romantic relationship quality.

Download

Share

COinS