The problem with “clingy” partners

Clingy partners are most likely to cheat, according to a new study. A new infidelity study reveals that insecure people who find it hard to trust are more likely to commit adultery compared to their more confident counterparts.

Researchers at Florida State University studied 200 newlyweds over a period of four years. Participants were regularly asked to complete questionnaires about their feelings toward their partner and how secure they felt in the relationship.

The findings revealed that people who displayed needy behavior and who were anxious about being abandoned by their partner were more likely to cheat, according to Psychology Today. Surprisingly, partners of spouses who feared abandonment were also more likely to cheat.

Researchers said that the latest findings support attachment style theories. They explain that those who had a stable relationship with their parents develop a “secure” attachment style that helps people trust their partners.

Adults with “secure” attachment styles are more likely to believe that their partners will care for them and prioritize their well-being. However, those who have “insecure” attachment styles either fear abandonment or fight to maintain their independence to avoid the feeling of being rejected.

Lead researcher Michelle Russell said that people who fear abandonment are both more likely to cheat and be cheated on. These people are also more likely to be needy in their relationships.

“Attachment anxiety produces enough of a threat to intimacy to motivate spouses to seek out alternative partner,” said Russell, according to the Daily Mail.

Researchers added that this was only true for one form of insecure attachment style. The study found that people with other forms of insecure attachment style that was associated with greater independence were least likely to be unfaithful.

Do you think that “clingy partners” are the most likely to cheat?

Source: The findings were published in the Journal of Family Psychology