The aim of this study was to examine the effects of adult attachment on romantic relationship satisfaction and to investigate the sequential mediating effects of covert narcissism and rejection sensitivity in this relationship among unmarried adults. ...
The aim of this study was to examine the effects of adult attachment on romantic relationship satisfaction and to investigate the sequential mediating effects of covert narcissism and rejection sensitivity in this relationship among unmarried adults. The following research questions were established for this purpose. First, what are the relationships among attachment anxiety, covert narcissism, rejection sensitivity, and romantic relationship satisfaction? Second, what is the sequential mediating effect of covert narcissism and rejection sensitivity in the relationship between attachment anxiety and romantic relationship satisfaction? Third, what are the relationships among attachment avoidance, covert narcissism, rejection sensitivity, and romantic relationship satisfaction? Fourth, what is the sequential mediating effect of covert narcissism and rejection sensitivity in the relationship between attachment avoidance and romantic relationship satisfaction? To this end, data were collected from 432 unmarried men and women aged 20 to 34 who were currently in a romantic relationship or had previous dating experience. The data were analyzed using SPSS 28.0 and the SPSS PROCESS macro Model 6. The findings are as follows. First, as a consequence of analyzing the relationships among attachment anxiety, covert narcissism, rejection sensitivity, and romantic relationship satisfaction, attachment anxiety was found to be significantly positively correlated with covert narcissism and rejection sensitivity, and significantly negatively correlated with romantic relationship satisfaction. In addition, romantic relationship satisfaction was significantly negatively correlated with attachment anxiety, covert narcissism, and rejection sensitivity. Second, as a result of verifying the mediating effect of covert narcissism in the relationship between attachment anxiety and romantic relationship satisfaction, it was found that covert narcissism had a partial mediating effect. Third, it was found that rejection sensitivity fully mediated the relationship between attachment anxiety and romantic relationship satisfaction. Fourth, the sequential mediating effect of attachment anxiety on romantic relationship satisfaction through covert narcissism and rejection sensitivity was found to be significant, indicating a full mediation effect. Fifth, as a consequence of analyzing the relationships among attachment avoidance, covert narcissism, rejection sensitivity, and romantic relationship satisfaction, attachment avoidance was found to be significantly positively correlated with covert narcissism and rejection sensitivity, and significantly negatively correlated with romantic relationship satisfaction. Romantic relationship satisfaction was also negatively correlated with attachment avoidance, covert narcissism, and rejection sensitivity. Sixth, as a result of verifying the mediating effect of covert narcissism, covert narcissism was found to partially mediate the relationship between attachment avoidance and romantic relationship satisfaction. Seventh, it was found that rejection sensitivity also partially mediated the relationship between attachment avoidance and romantic relationship satisfaction. Eighth, the sequential mediating effect of attachment avoidance on romantic relationship satisfaction through covert narcissism and rejection sensitivity was found to be significant, indicating a partial mediation effect. Based on these results, the implications and limitations of the study were discussed, and suggestions for future research were presented.