This essay extends the relational turbulence model as a framework for understanding communication in romantic relationships. Following the relational turbulence model, relational turbulence theory identifies relational uncertainty and interdependence as parameters that shape subjective experiences, but the theory clarifies the theoretical processes underlying their distinctive effects. In addition, relational turbulence theory articulates causal processes linking cognitive appraisals and emotions to communication. Relational turbulence theory also describes how episodes characterized by biased appraisals, intense emotions, and volatile communication coalesce into global evaluations of relationships as turbulent. In turn, the theory addresses the effect of relational turbulence on personal, relational, and social outcomes. Finally, the theory explains how communication can contribute to the development of both turbulence and resilience in romantic relationships.

The authors examined the impact of intimacy, relational uncertainty, and a partner’s interference on the directness of communication about relational irritations. The authors hypothesized that directness has (a) a positive association with the perceived negativity of irritations, intimacy, and self uncertainty; (b) a negative association with relationship uncertainty; (c) a negative association with partner uncertainty that is mediated by relationship uncertainty; and (d) a positive association with a partner’s interference that is mediated by the perceived negativity of irritations. The authors conducted a longitudinal Web-based survey in which individuals in romantic associations reported on qualities of their relationships once per week for 6 weeks. A structural equation model of data from the first week was consistent with the authors’ hypotheses. Longitudinal analyses of the full data set using hierarchical linear modeling provided mixed support for the authors’ predictions. The article discusses the implications of the findings for understanding both communicative directness and turbulence within developing dating relationships.

Although many military couples eagerly await reunion after deployment, the reentry of service members into family life can be challenging. This study employed the relational turbulence model to identify the issues facing military couples during the post-deployment transition. Individuals who had been reunited with their romantic partner during the past six months (N = 259; 137 service members, 122 partners) completed an online questionnaire. Content analytic results indicated that people encounter diverse changes to their relationship (RQ1), issues of relational uncertainty (RQ2), and interference in their daily routines (RQ3). Women, at-home partners, and reservist couples appear especially likely to encounter upheaval (RQ4). The relational turbulence model may have utility for illuminating the experiences of military couples upon reintegration.

We extend the relational turbulence model by applying an actor—partner interdependence model to people’s experiences of cognitive and emotional turbulence. In the study, 135 dating couples reported on their relationship once per week for six consecutive weeks. People’s appraisals of turmoil and feelings of negative emotion were predicted by (i) their own relational uncertainty, (ii) their partner’s relational uncertainty, and (iii) their own experiences of a partner’s interference. When partners reported more turmoil and negative emotion in one week, actors experienced more relational uncertainty and interference from partners in the following week. The findings illuminate the interdependence between dating partners’ experiences of relational turbulence over time.

In contrast to romanticized portrayals of reunion after deployment, U.S. military personnel may contend with the harsh reality of both depressive symptoms and upheaval in their romantic relationships during the postdeployment transition. This study employed the relational turbulence model to evaluate mechanisms linking depressive symptoms with relationship satisfaction. Cross-sectional, self-report data were collected from 220 service members living in 27 states who had returned home from deployment within the past six months. As hypothesized, the negative association between depressive symptoms and relationship satisfaction was mediated by relational uncertainty and interference from partners. These findings advance scholarship on depressive symptoms and relational turbulence, and they also suggest guidelines for helping service members with depressive symptoms maintain satisfying romantic relationships upon reentry.