Marital Conflict in the Context of Novel Stress: Associations with Physiological Stress Functioning

Abstract

ObjectivesThe goal of this study was to investigate associations of the positivity and negativity of couple communication behaviors during a novel stressor, representative of dyadic coping, with diurnal cortisol patterns, an indication of stress physiological functioning.BackgroundPrevious research suggests that less positive and more negative couple interactions about reoccurring relationship issues are stressful and, as a result, are associated with physiological stress dysregulation. Past research has also indicated that behaviors during novel, as opposed to reoccurring, stressors are uniquely predictive of couple outcomes because behaviors during novel stressors are indicative of patterns of dyadic coping. However, there is not yet evidence linking couple behaviors in response to novel stressors to physiological stress functioning.MethodsSixty‐one (N = 122 individuals) heterosexual couples completed a novel stress task, and recordings of their interactions were coded for negative and positive communication behaviors. Couples provided saliva samples at home for 2 days, which were assayed for diurnal cortisol concentrations.ResultsResults of linear regression and structural equation modeling analyses suggested that women's greater positive, in relation to negative, communication behavior during the novel stressor was associated with women's greater cortisol awakening levels and cortisol awakening responses. Men's greater positive behavior was associated with men's and women's greater cortisol awakening levels, that is, signs indicating healthy physiological functioning.ConclusionCouples' dyadic coping has implications for the functioning of stress systems.ImplicationsSpecifically, couples' communication quality during novel stressors may protect from physiological stress dysregulation; the manner in which couples treat each other when facing novel stress can get “under the skin.”