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Understanding the Associations Between Attachment Insecurity, Emotional Flooding, and Conflict Behaviors in Prenatal
Sean D Morgan1, Erica M Woodin1
1Department of Psychology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
Journal of Marital and Family Therapy
|May 7, 2026
Summary
Attachment insecurity increases couple conflict during parenthood transition. Emotional flooding acts as a mediator, linking attachment anxiety to gendered conflict patterns like withdrawal and hostility.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Relationship Science
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Parenthood transition is a vulnerable period for couples, often increasing conflict.
- Attachment insecurity is a risk factor for dysfunctional couple conflict dynamics.
- Emotional processes linking attachment to conflict remain underexplored from a dyadic perspective.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine emotional flooding as a mediator between attachment insecurity and conflict behaviors in couples transitioning to parenthood.
- To investigate dyadic emotion dysregulation as a pathway linking attachment styles to conflict patterns.
Main Methods:
- Ninety-six mixed-sex couples completed questionnaires on attachment and emotional flooding.
- Couples engaged in observed conflict discussions during the third trimester of pregnancy.
- Actor-partner interdependence models extended to mediation (APIMeM) were used for analysis.
Main Results:
- Men's attachment anxiety was linked to conflict withdrawal via their emotional flooding.
- Women's attachment anxiety was linked to conflict hostility via their emotional flooding.
- Emotional flooding mediated the relationship between attachment anxiety and specific conflict behaviors.
Conclusions:
- Emotional flooding is a key pathway through which attachment insecurity influences couple conflict.
- Findings reveal gendered patterns in how attachment anxiety manifests in conflict during the transition to parenthood.
- Understanding emotional flooding is crucial for addressing conflict in expectant couples.
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