The Impact of Attachment and We-Ness on the Relationship Satisfaction and Mental Health of Iranian-Canadian Immigrant Couples

The purpose of this study was to better understand the psychological impact of immigration stress on the relationship satisfaction and mental health of Iranian immigrants. We-ness (i.e., degree of identification with the relationship with one’s partner) and attachment (i.e., personal degree of anxiety and avoidance normally derived from significant relationships such as with one’s parent), were explored as potential sources of resilience for immigrants. A sample of 108 Iranian Canadian immigrants (each in a relationship with a significant other) completed a package of self-report questionnaires either online or through hard copies. The data were analysed via hierarchical regression analyses. The results showed that higher immigration stress was predictive of higher mental health distress and lower relationship satisfaction. Additionally, attachment security (as reflected in lower scores on the avoidance and anxiety dimensions of attachment) predicted higher we-ness. Higher mental health distress was predictive of lower relationship satisfaction. On the other hand, higher we-ness was predictive of higher relationship satisfaction. Exploratory mediation analyses showed that the relationship between higher immigration stress and lower relationship satisfaction was partially mediated by lower we-ness and higher avoidance.