The Relationship Between Attachment Styles and Dyadic Adjustment in the Early Stage of Marriage Among Couples in Selected Baptist Assemblies in Nairobi North Baptist Association Zone.

Abstract

This study focused on the relationship between attachment styles and dyadic adjustment in the early stage of marriage among selected Baptist assemblies in Nairobi North Baptist Association Zone. Using the pragmatic paradigm which allows human subjects to reflect on their experiences and a mixed method approach for data collection, the study sought to address the following objectives: to investigate the predominant attachment styles among couples in the early stages of marriage; to assess the level of dyadic adjustment among couples during the early years of marriage; to explore the relationship between different attachment styles and the degree of dyadic adjustment among the couples in selected Nairobi North Baptist Assemblies. The study also sought to identify potential recommendations for counseling and support interventions aimed at enhancing dyadic adjustment based on couples' attachment styles within selected Baptist Assemblies in Nairobi North Baptist Association Zone. The theories used to underpin the study were the Attachment and the Interpersonal Relationship theories. Additionally, the researcher used purposive sampling for questionnaire respondents and random sampling for the focus group discussion participants. The population of the study comprised of 145 couples who got married in the Baptist Churches within the period of 2019-2023 and using the Yamane formula the sample size of 106 couples for the study was derived. A total of 10 participants were purposefully selected for the focus group discussion from within the four Baptist Assemblies. The researcher collected data using standardized questionnaires: The Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale and the Adult Attachment Scale. The questionnaires were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 29 and presented using inferential and descriptive statistics while the Focus Group Discussion responses were recorded and then transcribed. The qualitative data was analyzed through a systematic process of data familiarization, coding into themes and then interpreting the broader themes into concepts. The descriptive data was presented through summary statistics and visualizations through tables, bar graphs, and pie charts, illustrating distribution, frequency, and patterns within the data. The correlations findings indicated divergent relationships between the attachment styles and dyadic adjustment, with a positive correlation of r-0.456 between secure attachment and dyadic adjustment. The correlation of anxious attachment with dyadic adjustment was (r = -0.829) while the correlation of avoidant attachment and dyadic adjustment was (r = -0.616) indicating a negative correlation. The recommendation for couples in the early stage of marriage from the selected Baptist Churches included marriage and family therapy, training in communication and psychoeducation on healthy attachment and marital adjustment among others. The researcher recommended further studies in cultural contextualization of attachment styles and dyadic adjustment, the influence of socioeconomic status on attachment styles and the effects of generationaltransformation on dyadic adjustment.