Living at risk: Dyadic examination of the links among environmental stress, attachment orientations and marital support provision

The current research examined whether the associations between attachment orientations and support provision are mediated by personal distress, and whether these mediation paths are moderated by exposure to geopolitical stress. One-hundred and thirty-three married couples, who were exposed to different levels of geopolitical stress, participated in the study. We found that personal distress mediated the link between attachment anxiety and support provision, and that this effect was stronger among people in high-risk areas than in low-risk areas. Personal distress mediated the link between attachment avoidance and support provision, but only among people living in high-risk areas. Our results highlight the importance of considering personal, interpersonal, and contextual factors when studying marital support processes.