Date of Award
5-10-2026
Date Published
June 2026
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Psychology
Advisor(s)
Brett Jakubiak
Keywords
attachment;close relationships;intimacy;perceived partner responsiveness;self-disclosure;vulnerability
Subject Categories
Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences | Social Psychology
Abstract
Vulnerable disclosure, which involves sharing personal and emotional experiences that could lead to judgment or rejection and leave one feeling exposed, plays a vital role in accessing social support and strengthening intimate relationships. However, individuals in avoidantly attached relationships are less inclined to engage in vulnerable disclosure because they are particularly sensitive to relational risks and instead often distance themselves from intimacy and minimize their need for dependence. If their partner can capitalize on moments when defenses are lowered—such as in lower-risk contexts where the attachment system is not activated—and demonstrate high responsiveness (e.g., by showing care and understanding), these individuals may be able to overcome their avoidant tendency and become more willing to engage in vulnerable disclosure in subsequent higher-risk contexts, possibly due to an increased sense of state security. Two studies tested these propositions using complementary methodological approaches. Study 1 employed a naturalistic observational design in which 108 romantic couples engaged in two videotaped discussions involving personal goal support and disclosure. Results indicated that greater perceived partner responsiveness (PPR) predicted greater vulnerable disclosure within the same discussion. More importantly, PPR experienced in a lower-risk context (the nondisclosing role) predicted greater vulnerable disclosure in a subsequent higher-risk context (the disclosing role), providing novel evidence of a cross-context scaffolding effect. Unexpectedly, PPR was only associated with concurrent vulnerable disclosure for people low in relationship-specific attachment avoidance, and no moderation was observed for the lagged scaffolding effect. Study 2 used an experimental design in which 697 participants identified their most avoidant relationship and were randomly assigned to imagine receiving either highly responsive or typical feedback to positive life event disclosure before reporting their willingness to engage in vulnerable disclosure when sharing a negative life event. Participants in the high responsiveness condition reported greater willingness to disclose and less holding back compared to the control condition. The reduction in holding back was particularly pronounced among individuals high in attachment avoidance, providing support for the hypothesized moderation. Together, these studies demonstrate that PPR is a robust facilitator of vulnerable disclosure and that experiencing responsiveness in lower-risk contexts can promote vulnerability in higher-risk contexts. The findings advance attachment theory by identifying PPR as a potential lever for encouraging openness in avoidant relationships. These findings also carry implications for relationship interventions targeting partner responsiveness as a pathway to greater intimacy.
Access
Open Access
Recommended Citation
Sun, Elina, "Perceived Partner Responsiveness as a Scaffold for Vulnerable Disclosures in Avoidantly Attached Relationships" (2026). Dissertations - ALL. 2262.
https://surface.syr.edu/etd/2262
