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Jiang D, Li T, Fung HH. Negative interactions and marital satisfaction across adulthood: The moderating role of affect valuation. Appl Psychol Health Well Being 2024; 16:1439-1458. [PMID: 38491871 DOI: 10.1111/aphw.12537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Older adults report higher marital satisfaction than younger adults even after negative interactions. The current study examined affect valuation as a potential moderator to explain age-related differences in the relationship between negative interactions and marital satisfaction. We conducted a 14-day daily diary study among 66 heterosexual couples (132 participants) aged from 21 to 80 years. At both person and daily levels, we found that valuing negative affect weakened the negative association between negative interactions and marital satisfaction in husbands. The moderating effect of negative affect valuation was stronger in older than younger husbands at the person but not daily level. Valuing positive affect more was associated with a stronger negative association between negative interactions and marital satisfaction in husbands at the person but not daily level. Such effect was again stronger in older than younger husbands. No significant results were found in wives. These findings shed light on the importance of affect valuation in understanding age-related differences in marital dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da Jiang
- Department of Special Education and Counselling, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Tianyuan Li
- School of Humanities and Social Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Helene H Fung
- Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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Auger E, Thai S, Birnie-Porter C, Lydon JE. On Creating Deeper Relationship Bonds: Felt Understanding Enhances Relationship Identification. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY BULLETIN 2024:1461672241233419. [PMID: 38476114 DOI: 10.1177/01461672241233419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Relational experiences play a critical role in shaping how individuals see themselves. In four studies (N=945) using person-perception, longitudinal, and experimental designs, we demonstrate that feeling understood changes individuals' self-concept by increasing the centrality of a specific relationship (relationship identification). Study 1 showed that participants perceived an individual to be more identified with their relationship when their partner was high (vs. low) in understanding. Study 2 extended these results by examining individuals in romantic relationships longitudinally. The results of Studies 1 and 2 were distinct for understanding compared to acceptance and caring. Studies 3 and 4 manipulated felt understanding. Recalling many versus few understanding instances (Study 3) and imagining a close other being low versus high in understanding (Study 4) led individuals to feel less understood, which reduced identification in their friendships and romantic relationships. Furthermore, Study 4 suggests that coherence may be one mechanism through which felt understanding increases relationship identification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Auger
- McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Collège Ahuntsic, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sabrina Thai
- Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
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Wilson SJ, Marini CM. The Days Add Up: Daily Marital Discord and Depressive Reactivity Linked to Past-Month Depressed Mood and Marital Risk across 10 Years. JOURNAL OF SOCIAL AND PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS 2023; 40:1172-1193. [PMID: 37457374 PMCID: PMC10348706 DOI: 10.1177/02654075221116277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Marital discord fuels depression, according to decades of research. Most prior studies in this area have focused on macro-longitudinal change in depression over the course of years, and on global ratings of marital satisfaction. Less work has examined fluctuations in depressed mood and marital discord in daily life, and none has investigated associations of short-term patterns with longer-term depressed mood and marital outcomes. Using data from participants in the Midlife in the U.S. (MIDUS) project, the current study examined daily associations between marital discord and depressed mood, as well as their links to concurrent and prospective patterns of past-month depressed mood and marital risk. Results showed that, on average, depressed mood rose on days when individuals had an argument or tension with their spouse (i.e., marital discord). More frequent daily marital discord was also associated with greater past-month depressed mood and marital risk, above and beyond prior levels. Those with larger depressive mood responses to discord in daily life (i.e., greater reactivity) exhibited higher concurrent past-month depressed mood and greater 10-year increases in depressed mood. As the first study to link daily marital patterns to concurrent and prospective changes in depressed mood and marital outcomes, this investigation uncovered two novel processes-daily marital discord and depressive reactivity-as important for understanding long-term patterns of marital risk and depression.
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Tissera H, Lydon JE. Knowing How You See Me: Exploring Meta‐Accuracy of Personality, Emotions and Values and Their Links with Relationship Well‐Being Among Young Adults. J Pers 2022; 90:873-886. [DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hasagani Tissera
- Department of Psychology McGill University 2001 McGill College Avenue Montreal QC Canada H3A 1G1
| | - John E. Lydon
- Department of Psychology McGill University 2001 McGill College Avenue Montreal QC Canada H3A 1G1
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Langer SL, Ghosh N, Todd M, Randall AK, Romano JM, Bricker JB, Bolger N, Burns JW, Hagan RC, Porter LS. Usability and Acceptability of a Smartphone App to Assess Partner Communication, Closeness, Mood, and Relationship Satisfaction: Mixed Methods Study. JMIR Form Res 2020; 4:e14161. [PMID: 32628614 PMCID: PMC7381078 DOI: 10.2196/14161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Interpersonal communication is critical for a healthy romantic relationship. Emotional disclosure, coupled with perceived partner responsiveness, fosters closeness and adjustment (better mood and relationship satisfaction). On the contrary, holding back from disclosure is associated with increased distress and decreased relationship satisfaction. Prior studies assessing these constructs have been cross-sectional and have utilized global retrospective reports of communication. In addition, studies assessing holding back or perceived partner responsiveness have not taken advantage of smartphone ownership for data collection and have instead required website access or use of a study-provided device. Objective This study aimed to examine the (1) usability and acceptability of a smartphone app designed to assess partner communication, closeness, mood, and relationship satisfaction over 14 days and (2) between-person versus within-person variability of key constructs to inform the utility of their capture via ecological momentary assessment using the participants’ own handheld devices. Methods Adult community volunteers in a married or cohabiting partnered relationship received 2 smartphone prompts per day, one in the afternoon and one in the evening, for 14 days. In each prompt, participants were asked whether they had conversed with their partner either since awakening (afternoon prompt) or since the last assessment (evening prompt). If yes, a series of items assessed enacted communication, perceived partner communication, closeness, mood, and relationship satisfaction (evening only). Participants were interviewed by phone, 1 week after the end of the 14-day phase, to assess perceptions of the app. Content analysis was employed to identify key themes. Results Participants (N=27; mean age 36, SD 12 years; 24/27, 89% female; 25/27, 93% white and 2/27, 7% Hispanic) responded to 79.2% (555/701) of the total prompts sent and completed 553 (78.9%) of those assessments. Of the responded prompts, 79.3% (440/555) were characterized by a report of having conversed with one’s partner. The app was seen as highly convenient (mean 4.15, SD 0.78, scale: 1-5) and easy to use (mean 4.39, SD 0.70, scale: 1-5). Qualitative analyses indicated that participants found the app generally easy to navigate, but the response window too short (45 min) and the random nature of receiving notifications vexing. With regard to the variability of the app-delivered items, intraclass correlation coefficients were generally <0.40, indicating that the majority of the variability in each measure was at the within-person level. Notable exceptions were enacted disclosure and relationship satisfaction. Conclusions The findings of this study support the usability and acceptability of the app, with valuable user input to modify timing windows in future work. The findings also underscore the utility of an intensive repeated-measures approach, given the meaningful day-to-day variation (greater within-person vs between-person variability) in communication and mood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelby L Langer
- Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Neeta Ghosh
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Michael Todd
- Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Ashley K Randall
- Counseling and Counseling Psychology, College of Integrative Sciences and Arts, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Joan M Romano
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Jonathan B Bricker
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States.,Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Niall Bolger
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - John W Burns
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush Medical College, Rush University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Rachel C Hagan
- Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Laura S Porter
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
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Krueger KL, Forest AL. Communicating Commitment: A Relationship-Protection Account of Dyadic Displays on Social Media. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY BULLETIN 2020; 46:1059-1073. [PMID: 31896305 DOI: 10.1177/0146167219893998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
People often make their romantic relationships visible to others through dyadic displays (DDs). Yet, their reasons for doing so are not well-understood. We proposed and tested a relationship-protection account of DD use, focusing on a social media environment. We predicted that relationship-protection motivation would predict DDs and that DDs would serve a relationship-protective function. In Study 1, a correlational study of romantically involved Facebook users, relationship-protection motivation positively predicted DD use on Facebook even when controlling for feelings of interconnectedness. Relationship-protection motivation also mediated effects of relationship satisfaction and commitment on DD use. In Study 2, participants perceived a target whose Facebook profile we experimentally manipulated to include DDs (vs. not) as more likely to be in a high-quality relationship and less receptive to romantic advances from others, with implications for participants' interest in affiliating with the target. Our findings support a relationship-protection account of DD use on social media.
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Gómez-López M, Viejo C, Ortega-Ruiz R. Well-Being and Romantic Relationships: A Systematic Review in Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:E2415. [PMID: 31284670 PMCID: PMC6650954 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16132415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Adolescence and emerging adulthood are both stages in which romantic relationships play a key role in development and can be a source of both well-being and negative outcomes. However, the limited number of studies prior to adulthood, along with the multiplicity of variables involved in the romantic context and the considerable ambiguity surrounding the construct of well-being, make it difficult to reach conclusions about the relationship between the two phenomena. This systematic review synthesizes the results produced into this topic over the last three decades. A total of 112 studies were included, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines. On the one hand, these works revealed the terminological heterogeneity in research on well-being and the way the absence of symptoms of illness are commonly used to measure it, while on the other hand, they also showed that romantic relationships can be an important source of well-being for both adolescents and emerging adults. The findings underline the importance of providing a better definition of well-being, as well as to attribute greater value to the significance of romantic relationships. Devoting greater empirical, educational, and community efforts to romantic development in the stages leading up to adulthood are considered necessary actions in promoting the well-being of young people.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carmen Viejo
- Department of Psychology, Universidad de Córdoba (Spain), 14004 Córdoba, Spain.
| | - Rosario Ortega-Ruiz
- Department of Psychology, Universidad de Córdoba (Spain), 14004 Córdoba, Spain
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Mutual cyclical anger in romantic relationships: Moderation by agreeableness and commitment. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN PERSONALITY 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jrp.2018.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Langer SL, Romano JM, Todd M, Strauman TJ, Keefe FJ, Syrjala KL, Bricker JB, Ghosh N, Burns JW, Bolger N, Puleo BK, Gralow JR, Shankaran V, Westbrook K, Zafar SY, Porter LS. Links Between Communication and Relationship Satisfaction Among Patients With Cancer and Their Spouses: Results of a Fourteen-Day Smartphone-Based Ecological Momentary Assessment Study. Front Psychol 2018; 9:1843. [PMID: 30364167 PMCID: PMC6191515 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer treatment poses significant challenges not just for those diagnosed with the disease but also for their intimate partners. Evidence suggests that couples' communication plays a major role in the adjustment of both individuals and in the quality of their relationship. Most descriptive studies linking communication to adjustment have relied on traditional questionnaire methodologies and cross-sectional designs, limiting external validity and discernment of temporal patterns. Using the systemic-transactional model of dyadic coping as a framework, we examined intra- and inter-personal associations between communication (both enacted and perceived) and relationship satisfaction (RS) among patients with stage II-IV breast or colorectal cancer and their spouses (N = 107 couples). Participants (mean age = 51, 64.5% female patients, and 37.4% female spouses) independently completed twice-daily ecological momentary assessments (EMA) via smartphone for 14 consecutive days. Items assessed RS and communication (expression of feelings, holding back from expression, support and criticism of partner, and parallel ratings of partner behavior). Linear mixed models employing an Actor Partner Interdependence Model were used to examine concurrent, time-lagged, and cross-lagged associations between communication and RS. Expressing one's feelings was unassociated with RS. Holding back from doing so, in contrast, was associated with lower RS for both patients and spouses in concurrent models. These effects were both intrapersonal and interpersonal, meaning that when individuals held back from expressing their feelings, they reported lower RS and so too did their partner. Giving and receiving support were associated with one's own higher RS for both patients and spouses in concurrent models, and for patients in lagged models. Conversely, criticizing one's partner and feeling criticized were maladaptive, associated with lower RS (own and in some cases, partner's). Cross-lagged analyses (evening RS to next-day afternoon communication) yielded virtually no effects, suggesting that communication may have a stronger influence on short-term RS than the reverse. Findings underscore the importance of responsive communication, more so than expression per se, in explaining both concurrent and later relationship adjustment. In addition, a focus on holding back from expressing feelings may enhance the understanding of RS for couples coping with cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelby L Langer
- College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Joan M Romano
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Michael Todd
- College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | | | - Francis J Keefe
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Karen L Syrjala
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Jonathan B Bricker
- Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Neeta Ghosh
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - John W Burns
- Department of Behavioral Sciences, Rush Medical College, Rush University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Niall Bolger
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Blair K Puleo
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Julie R Gralow
- Medical Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Veena Shankaran
- Medical Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Kelly Westbrook
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - S Yousuf Zafar
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Laura S Porter
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
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