Attachment, emotion regulation difficulties, and forgiveness to the ex-partner: The moderating role of sex and joint children

This study examined emotion regulation difficulties (i.e., nonacceptance, daily interference, lack of awareness, lack of control, and lack of clarity) as possible mediators of the association between adult attachment and forgiveness in the context of divorce/separation, and the moderating role of sex and joint children. A sample of 1,185 participants completed measures of attachment, emotion regulation difficulties and forgiveness. Results revealed that in the whole sample attachment anxiety was only directly whereas attachment avoidance was indirectly associated with the degree of forgiveness to the ex-partner through lack of awareness. However, multigroup analysis showed that patterns observed in the whole sample are different for men and women having children or not with the ex-partner. The findings of this research show the importance of attachment and emotion regulation difficulties to understand the process of dealing with resentment and hostility towards an ex-partner in the context of divorce/ separation and demonstrate how sex and parenting differences modulate these relations. Among other aspects, the model had a greater explanatory power in people without joint children. In sum. these findings and their implications are discussed and the importance of considering moderating variables when examining forgiveness and other indicators of adjustment to divorce/separation is highlighted.