The association between romantic competence and couple support behaviors in emerging adult couples

Abstract

This study examined the association between romantic competence and observed couple social support behaviors in a sample of 89 emerging adult mixed-gender couples ( M age = 20.65 for men, 20.16 for women). Across analyses, findings generally indicated that higher romantic competence was associated with both seeking and providing support in a more positive and less negative manner, even when controlling for attachment security, relationship satisfaction, and relationship length. The findings extend our understanding of how romantic competence affects dyadic processes, and identifies romantic competence as a novel target underlying the ability to effectively seek and provide support. Clinical implications for relationship education programs as well as psychotherapy that may be focused on improving relationship functioning is discussed.

Romantic conflict narratives and associations with psychological relationship aggression in emerging adult couples

“…In examining our predictions, we controlled for relationship satisfaction because couple members’ global feelings of affection may shape the way they interpret relationship events (Waldinger & Schulz, 2006). Relationship satisfaction in emerging adult couples is related to more positive relationship functioning and lower levels of aggression (Capaldi et al, 2012; Lantagne & Furman, 2020; Zhou et al, 2021).…”

“…In addition, relationship education during this time may benefit the health of future, more committed relationships (Fincham et al, 2011). Recounting and reconstructing personally meaningful events is integral to many therapeutic interventions (Singer et al, 2013; Zhou et al, 2021). Accordingly, collecting narratives about romantic conflicts may be particularly well suited for gaining insight into strategies that mitigate impellance and strengthen inhibition processes related to aggression (Halford & Snyder, 2012).…”

“…Conflict narratives can reveal how memories of past, current, and anticipated future relationship events are organized and told to make sense of one’s own and one’s partner’s relationship intentions, motives, and concerns (Bühler & Dunlop, 2019; Frost, 2011). Work on narrative processes and romantic relationship development suggest that emerging adult couples have the skills to make sense of conflict events in ways that recognize the importance of constructively negotiating differences and establishing communal goals (Davila et al, 2017; Zhou et al, 2021). Although such meaning making can guide relationship behavior, how emerging adults interpret specific conflict events with current partners is mostly missing from the literature (Bühler & Dunlop, 2019).…”

Competencia para las relaciones sentimentales en el proceso de cortejo adolescente: un estudio descriptivo

“…El inicio y el mantenimiento de relaciones sentimentales de calidad positiva en la adolescencia se ven determinados por la adquisición y puesta en práctica de habilidades con un carácter bidireccional que requieren tanto del desarrollo individual como interpersonal (Davila et al, 2021): el desarrollo de un buen ajuste normativo, de toma de perspectiva, la competencia social, la toma de decisiones adaptativa, unos altos niveles de empatía y asertividad, o una buena gestión de la popularidad en el grupo revertirán en el desarrollo de lo que algunos autores han denominado competencia sentimental -Romantic Competence en la literatura internacional (Davila et al, 2009)-. En el marco del proceso de cortejo, una buena gestión de la competencia relacional para la vida íntima (Shulman et al, 2011), dentro del ámbito de la competencia social, partiría del desarrollo de habilidades en dominios como el inicio propiamente de la relación, las habilidades asertivas y para decir no, la autorrevelación o capacidad para contarle a otra persona cosas íntimas o personales, el apoyo emocional y la gestión de conflictos Zhou et al, 2021). Trabajos previos han demostrado que la percepción de autoeficacia juega un papel clave en este proceso, ya que sentirse seguro sobre la capacidad de uno mismo para gestionar una situación incierta y, quizás, muy deseada, y tener un autoconcepto positivo facilita tomar decisiones que, en muchas ocasiones, están vinculadas no solo a cómo comenzar la interacción con otra persona, sino a cómo continuar y gestionar algunas de las inesperadas situaciones que puedan darse (Buhrmester, 1990;Buhrmester et al, 1988).…”

Teaching romantic competence skills to emerging adults: A relationship education workshop

“…In addition, among mixed‐gender couples, greater competence among women was associated with more adaptive expression of positive emotion among both couple members in the context of a behavioral task designed to elicit such emotion (Davila, Wodarczyk, et al, 2017). Greater competence also was associated with more adaptive support behavior during couple interaction (Zhou et al, 2020) and more romantically competent behavior during a problem‐solving interaction (Zhou & Davila, 2019). Together, these findings suggest that romantic competence is manifested in healthy romantic relationship behavior for emerging adult college students.…”