Using questionnaires, self report, and partner report of spouse, this longitudinal investigation examined the relationship between couple insecure attachment, covert relational aggression, and sexual satisfaction of each partner one year after their initial assessment, while controlling for sexual satisfaction at the time of our initial assessment. Findings showed that wives were more impacted by both actor and partner effects of covert relational aggression. Wives' sexual satisfaction was predicted by the increase in insecure attachment of both self and spouse through covert relational aggression. Wives insecure attachment did not cause a significant decrease in husbands' sexual satisfaction at time 2. Husbands were also impacted but to a lesser degree. An increase in husbands' insecure attachment showed a significant increase in husbands' covert relational aggression. The increase in his covert relational aggression did not, however, predict a significant decline in sexual satisfaction for husbands.

Using a two-wave APIM Structural Equation Model, this study investigated how husband and wife attachment styles predict husband and wife covert relational aggression one year later with husband and wife shame as potential moderating variables. Data was taken from 308 married couples in waves three and four of the Flourishing Families project using self-report and partner report of spouse questionnaires. Findings showed that an individual's attachment insecurity predicts their use of relational aggression. Wives' relational aggression is predicted by an increase in husbands' relational aggression. An increase in wives' insecure attachment had less of an impact on husbands' relationally aggressive behavior. Shame predicts the use of relational aggression. Shame moderates some of the actor and partner relationships, showing that in certain cases, as shame increases the relationship between attachment strategy and relational aggression also increases. Clinicians are advised to assess and treat partners as a couple as one partner's attachment and shame may affect the other's behavior, and those high in shame and insecure attachment are more likely to use covert relational aggression.