scholarly journals Daily Responsiveness, Expectations, and Self-Disclosure: How the Average Levels and Within-Person Variability of Three Relationship Components Mediate Personality–Relationship Transactions in Romantic Couples

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janina Larissa Buehler ◽  
Rebekka Weidmann ◽  
Jenna Wünsche ◽  
Robert Philip Burriss ◽  
Alexander Grob

The associations between couple members’ personality and their relationship satisfaction can be conceptualized as reciprocal transactions. To better understand these transactions, we focused on both partners’ interpersonal vulnerabilities (i.e., neuroticism, low self-esteem, insecure attachment); daily emotional, cognitive, and behavioral relationship components (i.e., perceived responsiveness, positive expectations, self-disclosure); and relationship satisfaction. Specifically, we examined whether the average levels and within-person variability of the relationship components mediated the transactions between interpersonal vulnerabilities and relationship satisfaction. Data came from 689 female-male couples aged 18 to 81 years who participated in three measurement occasions across 12 months, including a 14-day diary phase. We used mediated dyadic bivariate latent change score models to test the level-change and change-change transactions and mediations. The findings partly supported our hypotheses: Couple members with interpersonal vulnerabilities had lower average levels (but not higher within-person variability) of the relationship components, and less satisfied couple members had lower average levels and higher within-person variability of these components. The lower average levels but not the variability mediated between a lower level of relationship satisfaction and an increase in avoidant attachment. No other mediations were observed. We discuss the importance of studying daily relationship components for better understanding reciprocal transactions in couples.

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 367-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janina Larissa Bühler ◽  
Rebekka Weidmann ◽  
Jenna Wünsche ◽  
Robert Philip Burriss ◽  
Alexander Grob

The associations between couple members’ personality and their relationship satisfaction can be conceptualized as reciprocal transactions. To better understand these transactions, we focused on both partners’ interpersonal vulnerabilities (i.e. neuroticism, low self–esteem, and insecure attachment); daily emotional, cognitive, and behavioural relationship components (i.e. perceived responsiveness, positive expectations, and self–disclosure); and relationship satisfaction. Specifically, we examined whether the average levels and within–person variability of the relationship components mediated the transactions between interpersonal vulnerabilities and relationship satisfaction. Data came from 689 female–male couples aged 18 to 81 years who participated in three measurement occasions across 12 months, including a 14–day diary phase. We used mediated dyadic bivariate latent change score models to test the level–change and change–change transactions and mediations. The findings partly supported our hypotheses: Couple members with interpersonal vulnerabilities had lower average levels (but not higher within–person variability) of the relationship components, and less satisfied couple members had lower average levels and higher within–person variability of these components. The lower average levels but not the variability mediated between a lower level of relationship satisfaction and an increase in avoidant attachment. No other mediations were observed. We discuss the importance of studying daily relationship components for better understanding reciprocal transactions in couples. © 2020 European Association of Personality Psychology


2014 ◽  
Vol 45 (7) ◽  
pp. 1495-1507 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Wickham ◽  
K. Sitko ◽  
R. P. Bentall

BackgroundA growing body of research has investigated associations between insecure attachment styles and psychosis. However, despite good theoretical and epidemiological reasons for hypothesising that insecure attachment may be specifically implicated in paranoid delusions, few studies have considered the role it plays in specific symptoms.MethodWe examined the relationship between attachment style, paranoid beliefs and hallucinatory experiences in a sample of 176 people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorders and 113 healthy controls. We also investigated the possible role of negative self-esteem in mediating this association.ResultsInsecure attachment predicted paranoia but not hallucinations after co-morbidity between the symptoms was controlled for. Negative self-esteem partially mediated the association between attachment anxiety and clinical paranoia, and fully mediated the relationship between attachment avoidance and clinical paranoia.ConclusionsIt may be fruitful to explore attachment representations in psychological treatments for paranoid patients. If future research confirms the importance of disrupted attachment as a risk factor for persecutory delusions, consideration might be given to how to protect vulnerable young people, for example those raised in children's homes.


Author(s):  
Sarah Mackay ◽  
Kenneth Cramer

The present study explored the relation between personal characteristics and romantic relationship satisfaction as mediated by communication. Couples in established heterosexual romantic relationships of at least 3 months (N = 96 couples) were recruited from an undergraduate population at a university through a Psychology Participant Pool System. It’s been hypothesized that there would be a relation between predicting variables — four of five-factor personality traits, emotional intelligence and self-disclosure — and relationship satisfaction as mediated by communication behaviours. Results indicate that for both genders, conscientiousness is related to one’s own relationship satisfaction which is mediated by communication. For females only, communication mediated the relation between emotional intelligence and her relationship satisfaction. For males and females, self-disclosure is related to both one’s own and one’s partner’s relationship satisfaction which is mediated by communication. Collectively, these results suggest that personal characteristics are related to communication which influences the relationship satisfaction of both members of a couple.


1997 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 224-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
John H. Harvey ◽  
Julia Omarzu

In this theoretical analysis, we argue that a process referred to as minding is essential for a couple to feel mutually close and satisfied in a close relationship overa long period. Minding represents a package of mutual self-disclosure, other forms of goal-oriented behavior aimed at facilitating the relationship, and attributions about self's and other's motivations, intentions, and effort in the relationship. Self-disclosure and attribution activities in minding are aimed at getting to know the other, trying to understand the other's motivations and deeper dispositions as they pertain to the relationship, and showing respect and acceptance for knowledge gained about other. We link the concept of minding to other major ideas and literatures about how couples achieve closeness: self-disclosure and social penetration, intimacy, empathy and empathic accuracy, and love and self-expansion. We argue that the minding process articulated here has not previously been delineated and that it is a useful composite notion about essential steps in bonding among humans. We also argue that the minding concept stretches our understanding of the interface of attribution and close relationships. We present research possibilities and implications and consider possible alternative positions and counterarguments about the merits of the minding idea for close relationship satisfaction.


Author(s):  
Ahmad Al- Shraifin

The study aimed to explore the causal relationships between supervising working alliance, counseling self-esteem and attachment styles through a causal model adopting a path analysis method. The study sample consisted of 289 counseling students at Yarmouk University. Three scales were administered to measure the supervising working alliance, self-esteem and attachment styles.  Results showed a direct relationship between avoidant attachment styles and supervising working alliance, and an indirect relationship with counseling self-esteem. There was a direct relationship between secure attachment style, supervising working alliance and counseling self-esteem; and between supervising working alliance and counseling self-esteem.  In addition, direct and indirect relationships were evident between avoidant attachment style and special relationship domain of supervising working alliance and counseling self-esteem; whereas it affected client focus domain with a direct relationship. Direct relationships also were evident between secure attachment styles, the relationship domain and self-focus domain.  


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 90-104
Author(s):  
Jacquelyn Harvey ◽  
Karen Boynton

Self-disclosure involves sharing thoughts, feelings, and experiences with others, typically surrounding emotionally relevant and often times difficult life experiences. Research suggests a link between acts of self-disclosure and improved psychological resilience. Most research argues that resilience arises because acts of disclosure alter one’s thinking around a topic of disclosure, which is then associated with improved resilience. Research also suggests, however, that disclosure can alter personal characteristics such as one’s level of self-compassion or self-esteem. Nevertheless, we know relatively little about the potential mediating role that personal characteristics might play in predicting resilience. This exploratory cross-sectional study assesses whether self-characteristics (specifically self-esteem and self-compassion) mediate the relationship between self-disclosure and psychological resilience. Four hundred and forty-three individuals completed a survey that assessed the aforementioned variables. Findings suggest that self-esteem and self-compassion mediate the relationship between self-disclosure and psychological resilience. Demographically, age and those who identified as male reported significantly higher levels of resilience than individuals of other demographics. These findings pinpoint personal characteristics that could be targeted to supplement and improve the efficacy of self-disclosure interventions.


2006 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 208-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Neustadt ◽  
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic ◽  
Adrian Furnham

This study explores the relationships between the Big Five personality traits, self-esteem, and attachment orientation at work. A total of 248 working adults (165 female and 83 male) completed the revised form of the Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness-Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R; Costa & McCrae, 1992 ), a self-esteem scale ( Rosenberg, 1965 ) and a self-report measure of attachment at work ( Neustadt, Chamorro-Premuzic, & Furnham, in press ). Principal component analysis identified two major attachment factors, namely secure/autonomous and insecure, which were significantly correlated with self-esteem and all five personality factors (as well as specific subfacets). Regression analyses showed that between 15–20% of the variance in secure and insecure attachment at work could be explained by personality traits and self-esteem. Self-esteem partly mediated the link between Neuroticism and insecure attachment; however, most associations between personality and attachment could not be explained by self-esteem. Theoretical and applied implications are discussed.


Author(s):  
María del Carmen Pérez-Fuentes ◽  
María del Mar Molero Jurado ◽  
José Jesús Gázquez Linares ◽  
Nieves Fátima Oropesa Ruiz ◽  
María del Mar Simón Márquez ◽  
...  

Introduction: Studies have shown significant associations between parenting practices, life satisfaction, and self-esteem, and the role of parenting practices in adolescent adjustment, emphasizing its influence on wellbeing. Objectives: To analyze the relationships between parenting practices, self-esteem, and life satisfaction, and test the mediating effect of self-esteem on the relationship between the different parenting practices and life satisfaction of adolescents. Method: The sample came to a total of 742 adolescents, with an average age of 15.63 (SD = 1.24; range 13–19). The Parenting Style Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale were used. Results: Perception by adolescents of high levels of affect and communication, self-disclosure, and a sense of humor related to their parents, as well as low levels of psychological control, explained the life satisfaction of the adolescents. Self-esteem exerted a partial mediating effect on the relationship between parenting practices and satisfaction with the life of the adolescent. Finally, self-esteem also appeared to be a moderator variable, specifically in the effect of self-disclosure on the life satisfaction of the adolescent. Conclusions: The results reinforce the role of personal variables, especially self-esteem, in parent-child interaction and in the improved subjective wellbeing of the adolescent.


2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 661-683 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael R. Langlais ◽  
Gwendolyn Seidman ◽  
Kyla M. Bruxvoort

Despite the consistent, high use of Facebook among adolescents, few studies have examined how adolescents use Facebook when forming and maintaining romantic relationships. Based on the Internet-enhanced self-disclosure hypothesis, romantic relationship–oriented Facebook behaviors are likely to relate to adolescent self-esteem. The goal of this study is to examine romantic relationship–oriented Facebook behaviors (private exchanges, monitoring, public displays, and oversharing information) between adolescents and their romantic partners or crushes, and then test how these behaviors relate to self-esteem. Data come from an online survey of adolescents from the Midwestern United States who are current Facebook users. Results demonstrated that the most common romantic relationship–oriented Facebook behavior was monitoring. Regression analyses revealed that monitoring predicted lower adolescent self-esteem. Relationship satisfaction moderated the association between self-esteem and both private exchanges and oversharing information. Implications for adolescent romantic relationship development are discussed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ezgi Toplu-Demirtaş ◽  
Christine Murray ◽  
Zeynep Hatipoglu-Sümer

Purpose Studies on restrictive engulfment (RE) – a subtype of psychological aggression in intimate relationships – have focused either on insecure attachment or relationship satisfaction, not both. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to investigate relationship satisfaction as a potential mediator of the associations between anxious and avoidant attachment and RE perpetration among college students. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 322 college students (178 women, 137 men, and seven other gender-identified) completed the experiences in close relationship inventory, relationship assessment scale, and RE subscale of the multidimensional measure of emotional abuse. Findings Among the sample, 89.3 and 90.5 percent of the college women and men, respectively, reported to have used isolating, restricting, monitoring, and controlling behaviors. The results of structural equation modeling revealed that all direct paths except for that from avoidant attachment to RE were significant. Moreover, significant indirect paths were identified from anxious and avoidant attachment to RE via relationship satisfaction. Research limitations/implications The results of this study should be interpreted with consideration of the study’s limitations. First, the data were drawn from a convenience sample of Turkish college students. Second, the design of the study is correlational; therefore, we cannot assume causality. Finally, this study utilized self-report and retrospective data. Practical implications Though the findings are preliminary, they may inform college counselors and other mental health practitioners about the nature of RE within college students’ dating relationships. College students who are unhappy with their dating relationships but still in those relationships (i.e. they choose not to leave) should be assessed for whether they are the perpetrators and/or recipients of psychological aggression, especially in light of the high rates of this form of aggression in the current and previous studies. Furthermore, assessing psychological dating aggression perpetrators for insecure attachment styles may help mental health professionals who work with college students, envisage the sessions toward areas in the need of improvement, such as their views of themselves and others. Self-esteem, feelings of insecurity and inadequacy in relationships, and dependency can be worked with these clients. Social implications The results of this study also have implications for the prevention of psychological aggression before it occurs. The need for prevention programs is evident in the high rates of psychologically controlling behaviors among college students. It may be useful to implement campus wide programs to raise awareness regarding psychological aggression, such as through events, seminars, posters, flyers, and talks with student groups. Originality/value Despite the limitations of this study, its findings offer insight into the factors that influence the perpetration of psychological aggression within dating relationships among college students. Adult attachment theory offers a useful lens for understanding the possible driving forces behind college students’ controlling behaviors toward their dating partners. In particular, college students who demonstrate an insecure attachment style – and especially an anxious attachment style – combined with low levels of relationship satisfaction appear to be at a high risk for perpetrating RE behaviors.


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