Pushed Together or Pulled Apart? Economic Stressors and Romantic Relationship Quality

2020 ◽  
pp. 073112142097844
Author(s):  
Amy Lucas ◽  
Jessica Halliday Hardie ◽  
Sejung Sage Yim
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Material Hardship ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Process Perspective ◽  
Romantic Relationship Quality ◽  
Over Time ◽  
Economic Stressors

Previous research indicates that romantic partners’ relationship quality is associated with poverty and material hardship. Few studies have used longitudinal data to incorporate changing economic circumstances over time, included a range of economic factors, or investigated the role of social support in this association, however. Using five waves of data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, we extend prior work by evaluating the association between multiple economic stressors and romantic relationship quality over time, and whether social support explains or alters this association. Changes in economic stressors are associated with changes in romantic relationship quality over time, particularly nonstandard work and material hardship. Social support neither explains nor moderates this association in most cases. This study confirms the stress process perspective, showing how economic and work-related stress can proliferate into family life, but does not support the contention that social support buffers families against stress proliferation.

Romantic partners’ weight criticism and Latina/o/x young adults’ relationship instability

2021 ◽  
pp. 026540752110354
Author(s):  
Sarah E. Killoren ◽  
J. Kale Monk ◽  
Avelina Rivero ◽  
Dawson Quinn ◽  
Gabrielle C. Kline
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Romantic Partner ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Relationship Outcomes ◽  
Relationship Instability ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Romantic Relationship Quality

Negative interactions between romantic partners, such as when one partner criticizes another about their weight, are associated with poor relationship outcomes. The purpose of the study was to examine associations between romantic partner weight criticism, romantic relationship quality, gender, and Latinx young adults’ romantic relationship instability. Participants were recruited from a Qualtrics panel and completed 30-minute surveys online. The sample included 475 Latinx young adults (60% women; M age = 24.80 years, SD = 3.22; 66% Mexican) who reported on their experiences of romantic partner weight criticism, positive romantic relationship quality (e.g., intimacy, affection, nurturance), negative romantic relationship quality (e.g., conflict, antagonism), and relationship instability. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to test the study goals. Overall, weight-related criticism was more strongly associated with romantic relationship instability for men than for women. Further, for men, associations between weight criticism and romantic relationship instability were also particularly strong in the context of low levels of negative romantic relationship quality compared to high levels of negative romantic relationship quality.

Does covid-19 "infect" love? How italian emerging adults lived their romantic relationships during the time of lockdown

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Gaia Cuccì ◽  
Maria Giulia Olivari ◽  
Emanuela Confalonieri
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Emerging Adults ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Relationship Importance ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Romantic Relationship Quality ◽  
The Way

In Italy the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown have deeply changed the way Italian people used to live. Many emerging adults had to self-distance from their romantic partners and modify the way of communicating and relating to each other. Thus managing a romantic relationship could be very challenging.The study quantitatively and qualitatively investigates the association between Lockdown related negative emotions, perception of the romantic relationship quality, changes in the relationship's characteristics and conflict within the couple. The sample consists of 171 emerging adults involved in a romantic relationship, who spent the time of lockdown apart from the romantic partner.Results showed that the perception of the relationship quality was not greatly associated with Lockdown related negative emotions, but was associated with changes and higher conflict within the relationship. Qualitative data support and enrich these results. Changes and conflicts within the relationship were due to: difficulties to communicate, lack of intimacy, awareness about relationship importance or presence of emotionaldetachment between partners.

scholarly journals Longitudinal Associations Between Depressive Symptoms and Quality of Romantic Relationships in Late Adolescence

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniek H. J. Joosten ◽  
Stefanie A. Nelemans ◽  
Wim Meeus ◽  
Susan Branje
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Late Adolescence ◽  
Heterosexual Couples ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Longitudinal Associations ◽  
Romantic Relationship Quality ◽  
Over Time

AbstractWhile youth with higher levels of depressive symptoms appear to have lower quality romantic relationships, little is known about longitudinal associations for both men and women. Therefore, this study used longitudinal dyadic design to examine both concurrent and longitudinal associations between depressive symptoms and positive as well as negative aspects of romantic relationship quality across two waves one- or two-years apart. The sample consisted of 149 Dutch stable heterosexual couples (149 females and 142 males participated at T1) in a stable romantic relationship in late adolescence with a mean age of 20.43 years old at the first wave. Actor-Partner Interdependence models were used to examine potential bidirectional associations over time between depressive symptoms and romantic relationship quality, above and beyond potential concurrent associations and stability of the constructs over time, from the perspective of both romantic partners. Results consistently indicated that men and women who reported higher levels of depressive symptoms perceived less positive aspects (intimacy and support) and more negative aspects (conflict) in their romantic relationship over time. In addition, unexpectedly, when men and women perceived more positive relationship aspects, their partners reported higher levels of depressive symptoms over time. These findings stress that depressive symptoms can interfere with the formation of high-quality romantic relationships.

scholarly journals Perceived Parental Relationship Behaviors, Dyadic Perfectionism in Romantic Relationships and Relationship Quality Among College Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 158-165
Author(s):  
Cansu Tosun
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
College Students ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Evaluation Process ◽  
Parental Relationship ◽  
Dyadic Perfectionism ◽  
Romantic Relationship Quality

Romantic relationship quality is affected by a number of individual and environmental factors. In evaluation process of romantic relationship, individual’s criteria and the resources that create these criteria have great importance as well. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the correlations among perceived parental relationship behaviors, dyadic perfectionism in romantic relationships, and relationship quality. The research sample comprised 246 students who studied in different departments at Trabzon University and had a romantic relationship at that time. As a result of the analysis, significant correlations were found between the perceived parental relationship behaviors and dyadic perfectionism in romantic relationships, and relationship quality. In addition, it was determined that order and social support scores of females were significantly higher than males. In line with the results, the previous studies reveal that negative patterns between parents and perfectionistic tendencies in relationships negatively affect romantic relationships.

scholarly journals Close relationship belief and self-change as predictors of romantic relationship quality in university students

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 135-162
Author(s):  
Meliha Tuzgöl Dost ◽  
Serpil Aras
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
University Students ◽  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Linear Regression Analysis ◽  
Relationship Beliefs ◽  
The Social ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Romantic Relationship Quality

The aim of this study was to determine the predictive power of university students’ relationship beliefs and self-change on the relationship quality of their romantic relationships. The sample was composed of 361 university students, 212 women (58%) and 149 men (41%), enrolled at different state universities in three metropolises and currently involved in a romantic relationship. The Relationship Beliefs Questionnaire, The Turkish Version of the Relational Self-Change Scale, Relationship Quality Scale, and Personal Information Form were used in the study. Data were analyzed by multiple linear regression analysis. SPSS 23.0 packet programs were utilized in data analysis. According to the findings, of the factors of close relationship beliefs, “We must be completely open and honest with each other,” “We must do everything together,” “We must meet all needs of each other,” and “Romantic idealism” significantly predicted the social support subscale of relationship quality; “We must meet all needs of each other” significantly predicted the conflict subscale, and “We must do everything together,” “We must be able to change each other,” and “Romantic idealism” significantly predicted the depth subscale. Of the factors of self-change, self-expansion and self-contraction significantly predicted the social support subscale of romantic relationship quality while self-expansion, self-contraction and self-adulteration significantly predicted the conflict and the depth subscales. 

scholarly journals 325 - Relationship quality in dementia: Preliminary longitudinal analyses of the EU-JPND Actifcare cohort study

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (S1) ◽  
pp. 83-83
Author(s):  
Maria J. Marques ◽  
Bob Woods ◽  
Eva Y.L. Tan ◽  
Marjolein de Vugt ◽  
Frans Verhey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Sense Of Coherence ◽  
Unmet Needs ◽  
Neuropsychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Longitudinal Analyses ◽  
Family Carers ◽  
Over Time

INTRODUCTIONRelationship quality (RQ) in dyads of persons with dementia and their family carers is important both as a clinical outcome and as a determinant of health and quality of life. In previous work we studied RQ using baseline data of a large-scale European longitudinal study on timely access to and use of community formal services in dementia (EU-JPND Acticare). We concluded that neuropsychiatric symptoms and carer stress contributed to discrepancies in RQ ratings within the dyad, which were less favourable when reported by family carers. This and other associations (e.g. between carer-rated RQ and sense of coherence) were cautiously interpreted, in the context of a cross-sectional analysis.OBJECTIVESTo analyse how carer-reported RQ varies over time and to examine its most important influencing factors.METHODSWe present preliminary longitudinal analyses from the Actifcare cohort study of 451 community-dwelling persons with dementia and their primary carers in eight European countries (12-month follow-up). Comprehensive assessments included the Positive Affect Index (PAI) to assess RQ, persons with dementia’s neuropsychiatric symptoms, persons with dementia and carers’ unmet needs, carers’ anxiety and depression, social support, sense of coherence and stress.RESULTSCarers’ mean PAI scores decreased over the 12 -month period. The person with dementia neuropsychiatric symptoms and unmet needs, and carers’ perceived social support were significant predictors of carers’ RQ change.DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONWe analysed carer-reported RQ variation over time and predictors in a large European sample of persons with dementia and their family carers. As expected, RQ decreased over the oneyear follow-up period as the disease progressed. Its main predictors in this sample (neuropsychiatric symptoms and the person’s unmet needs, together with carers’ social support) can all influence the impact that caregiving has on the carer and on how time and energy-consuming caregiving is. The role of increased clinical symptoms (also affecting communication difficulties), together with carers’ exhaustion, must be equated. Overall, these results may help us to tailor interventions addressing RQ and potentially improve dementia outcomes.

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