Abstract: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 communicat… Show more
“…Self, partner, and relational uncertainty have all been associated with numerous problematic relational outcomes. However, we do not want to assume that because self, partner, and relationship uncertainty were all significant predictors of depressive symptoms that the three types of uncertainty necessarily function in concert (Solomon, Knobloch, Theiss, & McLaren, ). For instance, self uncertainty has been found to function differently than partner and relationship uncertainty (McLaren, Solomon, & Priem, ) and, of particular relevance to the current investigation, has been found to be more predictive of sadness than partner or relationship uncertainty (Knobloch, Miller, & Carpenter, ).…”
This study uses the relational turbulence model to examine depressive symptoms in newly married women. It reports data from a pre‐/posttest study in which 152 women completed an online survey during their engagement and 6 months after their wedding. Nearly 12% of the women reported reliable and clinically meaningful increases in depressive symptoms after their wedding. Using panel data analysis, this study found that increases in self uncertainty, partner uncertainty, and relationship uncertainty as well as in partner interference were associated with increases in depressive symptoms. This novel test of the relational turbulence model examined the impact of change in (rather than level of) relational turbulence, and the findings extend previous work by demonstrating how mechanisms of relational turbulence impact mental health.
“…Self, partner, and relational uncertainty have all been associated with numerous problematic relational outcomes. However, we do not want to assume that because self, partner, and relationship uncertainty were all significant predictors of depressive symptoms that the three types of uncertainty necessarily function in concert (Solomon, Knobloch, Theiss, & McLaren, ). For instance, self uncertainty has been found to function differently than partner and relationship uncertainty (McLaren, Solomon, & Priem, ) and, of particular relevance to the current investigation, has been found to be more predictive of sadness than partner or relationship uncertainty (Knobloch, Miller, & Carpenter, ).…”
This study uses the relational turbulence model to examine depressive symptoms in newly married women. It reports data from a pre‐/posttest study in which 152 women completed an online survey during their engagement and 6 months after their wedding. Nearly 12% of the women reported reliable and clinically meaningful increases in depressive symptoms after their wedding. Using panel data analysis, this study found that increases in self uncertainty, partner uncertainty, and relationship uncertainty as well as in partner interference were associated with increases in depressive symptoms. This novel test of the relational turbulence model examined the impact of change in (rather than level of) relational turbulence, and the findings extend previous work by demonstrating how mechanisms of relational turbulence impact mental health.
“…Perhaps the most foundational framework to the CRU model is relational turbulence theory (Solomon et al, ). The relational turbulence framework was proposed to explain how relational uncertainty during times of transition can create turmoil in relationships (Solomon & Knobloch, , ).…”
Uncertainty about the future of a close relationship is important to consider given the association between relational uncertainty and well‐being. These concerns and questions are likely compounded by accelerated rates of societal change that are rife with ambiguity, which could erode relational confidence, especially for those in marginalized unions. Despite the importance of the sociopolitical environment, there is limited insight into how this context might shape various forms of uncertainty. Thus, we propose an integrative framework, the contextual relational uncertainty model, to understand the intersection of contextual ambiguity and relational uncertainty during times of change for individuals in marginalized relationships. As an exemplar of sociopolitical transitions, we describe the changes related to same‐sex marriage in the 21st century to illustrate the utility and initial explication of the model. We describe suggestions for future research and clinical implications of exploring sociopolitical uncertainty, as well as its antecedents and consequences.
“…I expected more excitement, more love, more emotion, more understanding, “distance makes the heart grow fonder” stuff, like he wrote in the wonderful emails to me in Afghanistan, but nothing like this occurred. (At‐home Army wife, 31 years old)Relational turbulence theory is uniquely positioned to theorize about the experiences of military couples during the transition from deployment to reunion (Solomon et al, ). The theory originated as the relational turbulence model, which was designed to account for turmoil during the transition from casual involvement to serious commitment in dating relationships (Solomon & Knobloch, , ).…”
Section: Relational Turbulence Theorymentioning
confidence: 99%
“…The theory contends that facilitation and interference from a partner escalate people's emotional reactivity to subsequent events (e.g., Berscheid, ; Solomon & Knobloch, ; Solomon et al, ). More specifically, the theory proposes that facilitation and interference from a partner generate a climate of reactivity that leads individuals to feel more intense emotion in response to later episodes.…”
Section: Relational Turbulence Theorymentioning
confidence: 99%
“…This work has roots in the scholarly disciplines of health sciences (e.g., Chandra et al, ; Nichols, Martindale‐Adams, Graney, Zuber, & Burns, ), nursing (e.g., Gambardella, ; Lapp et al, ), communication (e.g., Sahlstein, Maguire, & Timmerman, ; Wilson, Gettings, Dorrance Hall, & Pastor, ), family studies (e.g., Faber, Willerton, Clymer, MacDermid, & Weiss, ; Karakurt et al, ; Marini, MacDermid Wadsworth, Christ, & Franks, ), and psychology (e.g., Bowling & Sherman, ; Brenner et al, ). Our own contribution comes from the field of communication and stems from our application of the relational turbulence model (Knobloch & Theiss, 2011; Theiss & Knobloch, ), and more recently, relational turbulence theory (Solomon, Knobloch, Theiss, & McLaren, ), to the study of how military couples navigate the transition from deployment to reintegration.…”
The transition from deployment to reintegration can be unexpectedly demanding for military couples as they cope with the changes that arose during separation and identify new patterns of relating. Although the postdeployment transition has important ramifications for the well‐being of military couples, the homecoming process is relatively undertheorized and underresearched within the deployment cycle. We identify relational turbulence theory, and its predecessor, the relational turbulence model, as a conceptual approach that may account for the upheaval that returning service members and at‐home partners encounter during the transition from deployment to reintegration. We delineate relational turbulence principles and research with the goal of evaluating their promise for understanding the postdeployment transition. We also describe implications for research and practice.
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