The impact of sexual relationship types and attachment styles on relationship satisfaction and sexual satisfaction

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of sexual relationship types and adult attachment styles on relationship satisfaction among American college students. Drawing on attachment theory and recent research on casual sexual relationships and experiences (CSREs), the study examined whether committed relationships, friends with benefits, hookups, and one-night stands differed in levels of relationship satisfaction, and whether attachment styles moderated these effects. A total of 519 American college students aged 18–25 completed an online questionnaire measuring sexual relationship type, attachment style, and relationship satisfaction. Attachment styles were categorized as secure, anxious, or avoidant using the Adult Attachment Scale. Data were analyzed using a twoway ANOVA. The findings revealed that attachment style had a significant effect on relationship satisfaction, with securely attached individuals reporting substantially higher satisfaction than anxious or avoidant individuals. In contrast, sexual relationship type did not significantly predict relationship satisfaction, and no interaction effect between relationship type and attachment style was found. These results suggest that internal psychological characteristics, particularly attachment patterns, play a more important role in determining relationship satisfaction than the structural form of the relationship itself. The study highlights the importance of considering attachment-related emotional and cognitive processes when examining well-being within both casual and committed relationships among college students.