Negative Partner Attributions Moderate the Association between Heart Rate Reactivity During Relationship Conflict and Relationship Satisfaction

Datos Bibliográficos

ID21320096
AutoresColin Adamo (0000-0003-4856-3294, Department of Psychology University of Utah Salt Lake City UT USA, autor de correspondencia), Karena Leo (0000-0001-6025-6495, Department of Psychology University of Utah Salt Lake City UT USA), Jasara N Hogan (0000-0002-5386-4190, Department of Neuroscience Medical University of South Carolina Charleston SC USA), Alexander O Crenshaw (0000-0002-7453-2398, Department of Psychology Ryerson University Toronto ON Canada), Katherine J W Baucom (0000-0002-0011-2526, Department of Psychology University of Utah Salt Lake City UT USA), Brian R W Baucom (0000-0002-0263-3763, Department of Psychology University of Utah Salt Lake City UT USA)
Año2021
Volumen60
Número3
Páginas823-835
Fecha de publicación2021-09-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaFamily Process (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0014-7370 • E-ISSN: 1545-5300
EditorialWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/famp.12609
PMID33064883
OpenAlexW3093101417
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas2
Referencias citadas29

Numerous theoretical models of relationship distress suggest that strong, negative reactions to conflict are directly associated with lower levels of relationship satisfaction. Consistent with this supposition, substantial evidence links higher levels of subjective negative emotion, more pronounced and frequent expressions of negative affect, and higher levels of negative communication behaviors to lower levels of relationship satisfaction (e.g., Bradbury, Fincham, & Beach, 2000, Journal of Marriage and Family , 62(4), 964). However, the evidence linking stress‐related physiological responding during relationship conflict and relationship satisfaction is less compelling than would be anticipated based on theory. We propose that these theoretically unexpected but empirically well‐replicated findings may be the result of different patterns in association between physiological reactivity and relationship satisfaction for couples with varying styles in how they typically perceive unwanted behavior in one another. The present study tests negative attributions for undesirable partner behaviors as a moderator of the association between heart rate reactivity (HRR) during relationship conflict and relationship satisfaction in a sample of 60 married couples. A significant interaction emerged between HRR and negative attributions of partner behavior in predicting relationship satisfaction such that higher levels of HRR were associated with lower levels of relationship satisfaction for individuals who typically made more negative attributions for undesirable partner behaviors, but with higher levels of relationship satisfaction for individuals who typically made fewer negative attributions for undesirable partner behaviors. Implications for conceptualizing reactivity during relationship conflict and couple interventions are discussed

Affect (linguistics) · Association (psychology) · Attribution · Developmental psychology · Moderation · Partner effects · Reactivity (psychology) · Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Clinical Psychology · Psychology · Social Psychology