The Relationship Between Personality Type, Attachment Style, and Marriage Quality Among Law Enforcement Officer

The job of the law enforcement officer (LEO) is to serve and protect community members. Law enforcement officers are at high risk for personal and emotional distress given their frequent exposure to trauma and other significant stressors on the job. Mental health services are often undervalued in the LEO population because many LEOs do not believe counselors understand their cultural values and experiences. Lack of awareness of the specific needs of this population by counselors is a barrier to successful treatment. Previous studies of similar professional populations revealed that marriage quality was one buffer to the occupational stress. The existing research suggested there is a relationship between perceived marriage quality and other variables among individuals who work in similar high-risk jobs, such as firefighter and members of the military, that predict well-being and improved coping with job-related stressors. The marital quality score of LEOs was compared to the numerical value of each participant's personality type and attachment style to form a better understanding of the LEO identity. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental multiple regression study was to determine if a relationship exists between personality type and attachment style on marriage quality among LEOs to improve cultural competency in counselors. Attachment theory served as the theoretical underpinning for this study. The results of the statistical analysis indicated a significant relationship between attachment style, personality type, and marital quality; however, only the anxious/ambivalent attachment style had a relationship with marriage quality. The results from this study may help improve cultural competency among counselors to understand the culture and experiences of LEOs better so the mental health needs of this population may be better met.