Abstract

This study examines whether internalized shame mediates the relationship between insecure adult attachment and marriage satisfaction in married women, and to verify whether spouse support modulates this mediating effect. For this purpose, we measured unstable adult attachment, internalized shame, spousal support, and marriage satisfaction using an online questionnaire for 241 people nationwide, and analyzed mediating effects, mediating effects, and moderated mediating effects. The results of this study are as follows. First, as a result of analyzing the correlations between unstable adult attachment, marriage satisfaction, internalized shame, and spousal support, all showed significant correlations. Second, as a result of examining the mediating effect of internalized shame, the significant mediating effect of internalized shame was found in the relationship between unstable adult attachment and marriage satisfaction. Third, as a result of examining whether the relationship between internalized shame and marriage satisfaction was controlled by spousal support, the moderating effect of spousal support on the relationship between internalized shame and marriage satisfaction was found to be significant. Fourth, as a result of testing the mediating effect of spouse support, it was found that the indirect effect of unstable adult attachment on marriage satisfaction through internalized shame was regulated by spouse support. Based on these results, the significance and limitations of this study and suggestions for follow-up studies were discussed.