How Does Context Affect Intimate Relationships? Linking External Stress and Cognitive Processes within Marriage

Abstract

Stressors external to the marriage frequently affect the way spouses evaluate their marital quality. To date, however, understanding of the interplay between external stress and internal relationship processes has been limited in two ways. First, research has generally examined only the short-term consequences of stress. Second, the mechanisms through which external stressors influence relationship outcomes are unclear. This study addressed both limitations by examining relationship cognitions that may mediate the effects of external stress throughout 4 years of marriage. Analyses confirmed that stressful experiences were associated with the trajectory of marital quality overtime. Furthermore, both the content and the organization of spouses' specific relationship cognitions mediated this effect. That is, stress negatively influenced the nature of spouses' marital perceptions as well as the way spouses interpreted and processed those perceptions. These findings draw attention to ways that the context of relationships shapes and constrains relationship processes.

Intimate Relationships in Context: Stress Spillover, Relationship Efficacy, and Relationship Satisfaction

“…Stress experienced outside the relationship takes the energy and weakens partner's capacities, which can lead to internal stress in form of more conflicts, bad communication patterns, negative attributions of partner's behavior, and similar adverse interactions (Bodenmann & Shantinath, 2004;Neff & Karney, 2004;Repetti, Wang, & Saxbe, 2009). Self-regulation processes can have a buffering effect in such situations (Bodenmann & Shantinath, 2004;Buck & Neff, 2012;Neff, 2012).…”

“…They found external stress to be associated with negative mood (Repetti, Wang, & Saxbe, 2009), social withdrawal (Repetti, 1989), more negative perceptions of relationships (Neff & Karney, 2004), more negative communication between partners (Bodenmann, 1997), diminished capacities for regular relationship maintenance and deteriorated self-regulatory skills (Buck & Neff, 2012). Also, it seems that believing in our ability to cope with stressful situations has an important role for stress spillover effects, both on an individual and dyadic level.…”

Relationship Difficulties Among U.K. Military Personnel: Impact of Sociodemographic, Military, and Deployment-Related Factors

“…Support from partners can buffer relationships from the effects of external stress, such as work-enforced separations (Hosek & Martorell, 2011;Neff & Karney, 2004). Greenhaus and Beutell (1985) report that spouses who are supportive protect each other from experiencing high levels of work=family conflict; thus, not receiving enough support from your partner during deployment may increase the likelihood of experiencing relationship difficulties.…”

Dyadic coping among adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

“…Stress in marriage significantly influences marital communication, satisfaction, and the development of intimacy in the general population (Bodenmann, 2000;Neff & Karney, 2004;Repetti, 1989;Story & Bradbury, 2004). There are numerous ways in which couples may respond to stress including individual coping, dyadic coping, or withdrawal.…”