Airport Separations: A Naturalistic Study of Adult Attachment Dynamics in Separating Couples

Couple members separating and not separating from each other in a public airport completed a questionnaire designed to assess relationship length, attachment style, and degree of subjective distress. After they completed these measures, their attachment behavior was observed unobtrusively. Analyses suggested that adult attachment behavior is organized in a manner similar to that observed in children. Relationship length and separation status were associated with the expression of attachment behavior in adults. Analyses also indicated that women with Anxious working models were more likely to experience distress prior to a separation. But the behavioral strategies exhibited by women varied as a function of Avoidant, not Anxious, working models. Results for men were less clear. Implications for adult attachment theory and research are discussed.