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Facilitating Autonomy in Interdependent Relationships: Invisible Support Facilitates Highly Avoidant Individuals’ Autonomy

Yuthika U. Girme,N. Overall,Matthew D. Hammond

Published 2019 in Journal of family psychology

ABSTRACT

Maintaining autonomy in interdependent relationships is challenging, particularly for people high in attachment avoidance, who prioritize independence. Invisible support involves indirect, subtle behaviors that minimize the salience of dependence and encourage self-driven problem solving and thus should facilitate autonomy. The current research tested whether partners’ invisible support during couples’ discussions of personal goals (N = 200 dyadic discussions) facilitated goal-related autonomy immediately and across time for recipients high in attachment avoidance. Highly avoidant individuals experienced lower autonomy immediately after dependence-based discussions with their partners, but they experienced the same levels of autonomy as did those low in avoidance when their partners provided greater invisible support. Furthermore, highly avoidant individuals generally experienced lower commitment, but they experienced the same levels of commitment as did those low in avoidance when they experienced greater autonomy. The results illustrate how bridging self-determination and attachment theories advances understanding of how to facilitate need fulfillment in intimate relationships.

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