The Role of Emotional Insecurity in the Cycle of Marital Conflicts

Abstract

This study aimed to conceptualize the structure and mechanisms through which emotional insecurity contributes to the development, escalation, and maintenance of marital conflicts. This qualitative review employed an interpretive–analytical approach based on systematic literature analysis. Data were extracted exclusively from peer-reviewed scientific sources. Following screening procedures, 15 eligible articles were selected. Thematic analysis was conducted using open, axial, and selective coding with NVivo software (version 14). Data analysis continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. The findings indicated that emotional insecurity constitutes the core of marital conflict cycles operating through three interrelated domains: intrapersonal emotional vulnerability, dyadic interactional instability, and conflict reinforcement mechanisms. Insecure attachment patterns, emotion regulation deficits, maladaptive communication styles, and pursue–withdraw cycles were identified as central contributors to persistent conflict, reduced intimacy, and relational exhaustion. Emotional insecurity represents a foundational determinant of marital conflict, and without addressing this core vulnerability, surface-level communication interventions are unlikely to yield sustainable relational improvement.