Differences In Relationship Quality Research Articles

Relationship Quality in Interethnic Marriages and Cohabitations

This study focuses on the factors underlying differences in relationship quality between interethnic and same-ethnic couples. Using the National Survey of Families and Households and the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, we examine relationship satisfaction, interpartner conflict and subjective assessments of relationship instability in married and cohabiting couples. Partners in interethnic unions generally reported lower levels of relationship quality than did partners in same-ethnic unions. These differences held for women as well as men, and for married as well as cohabiting couples. Differences in relationship quality were largely accounted for by more complex relationship histories, more heterogamous unions, fewer shared values and less support from parents. In contrast, differences in socioeconomic resources did not appear to play an explanatory role.

Relational and Individual Well-Being Among Cohabitors and Married Individuals in Midlife

This study uses data from the Norwegian NorLAG study ( N = 2,455) to examine differences in relationship quality and psychological well-being between middle-aged cohabitors and married persons. The authors question whether previous results linking cohabitation as compared with marriage to lower well-being will replicate in Norway, where cohabitation is much more widespread and socially accepted and where the legal system increasingly treats cohabitation and marriage as equal. The authors find that never-married cohabitors but not formerly married cohabitors report lower levels of relational and subjective well-being compared with their married counterparts. In this way, cohabitation per se is not qualitatively different from marriage. The presence of children and union duration have previously been linked to greater discontentment among cohabitors, but this is not evinced in this study.

Peer Relationships Among Institutionalized Juvenile Boys

This study examined peer relationships (sociometric status and friendship) of institutionalized juvenile males ages 12 to 18. Results replicated previous studies using “normal” nondelinquent samples demonstrating that sociometrically popular status juveniles were evaluated higher on sociability and leadership than were average- or rejected-status juveniles. Furthermore, rejected-status juveniles were evaluated as being more aggressive and more actively isolated than were popular- or average-status juveniles. Investigating the relationship between friendship networks (perceived and reciprocated) and social status revealed no differences. However, differences in relationship quality as a function of sociometric status emerged with rejected-status juveniles evaluating their best-friend relationship as being more caring, intimate, exclusive, and less conflict ridden than popular or average-status juveniles’ evaluations of their best-friend relationships. Findings replicate and extend previous research investigating children’s peer relationships. Implications for future research into the juvenile’s understanding of peer relationships are discussed.

The Mediating Effects of Attachment to Social Structure and Psychosocial Resources on the Relationship Between Marital Quality and Psychological Distress

All marital relationships are not alike. The quality of the marital relationship may be an important determinant of health outcomes. The authors suggest that low marital quality is stressful for married people and that resources (i.e., self-esteem, mastery, and social support) may mediate the effects of relationship quality on distress. Using data from the “Americans’ Changing Lives (ACL): Wave 1” data set, they examine a series of path models to determine the mediating effects of these resources on distress. Marital harmony is more strongly associated with psychological distress than other relationship characteristics. Self-esteem and mastery account for much of the mediating effects, with and without the inclusion of support resources. No gender differences in relationship quality, resources, or social support were found at the multivariate level. The results reflect the importance of self-esteem and mastery for health and well-being over and above the effects of relationship quality and social support.

Relationship quality, trait similarity, and self-other agreement on personality ratings in college roommates.

Previous research has shown that the level of self-other agreement for personality trait ratings increases with the length of acquaintanceship between the target and the informant. These findings emerge exclusively from studies of well-acquainted pairs in natural relationships and relative strangers interacting in laboratory and classroom settings. The present study examines self-other correlations for trait ratings using the NEO Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI; Costa & McCrae, 1992) with 103 pairs of previously unacquainted female college roommates. Assessments were obtained at approximately 2 weeks and again at approximately 15 weeks subsequent to the roommates' initial introduction. Self-other correlations increased for all five NEO-FFI scores and agreement correlations for Conscientiousness were significantly higher than for Extraversion at both occasions. Differences in relationship quality did not moderate self-other agreement for any of the traits. However, better relationship quality was associated with higher other-ratings of Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness and lower other-ratings of Neuroticism after controlling for self-ratings on the same trait. Higher similarity in self-ratings of Neuroticism and Openness was associated with higher self-other agreement for these ratings, and similarity in Conscientiousness was associated with higher relationship quality. These results are considered in light of existing theories of differential trait observability and the effects of unique contexts on trait perception.

Young children's social relationships with siblings and friends.

Relationships with a close friend and a younger sibling were investigated in 30 first-born young children. Greater positive affect and reciprocity were found between friends than between siblings. Limited support for the consistency of individual differences in relationship quality across friend and sibling dyads was also revealed. Implications for child development and future research are discussed.

Orientations to conflict: Gender, attributions, resolution strategies, and self-monitoring

Gender differences in relationship quality, conflict perceptions, reported conflict strategy use, and self-monitoring orientations were examined in a sample of undergraduates. It was predicted that males and high self-monitoring individuals would see their relationships as less intimate, themselves as less committed, and would endorse more frequent use of uncooperative and avoidant strategies. Participants (n=124) completed the following: a measure of conflict perceptions; a Conflict Strategy Scale measuring frequency of Cooperative, Uncooperative, and Denial-Avoidant strategies; and Snyder’s Self-Monitoring Scale. Compared to females, males scored higher in self-monitoring, saw friendships as less intimate and stable, saw their conflicts as more stable, and endorsed more frequent use of Denial-Avoidant strategies. Masculine orientations to conflict reflected increased self-presentational concerns and perceptions that minimized the personal relevance of conflict.

Proximity as a mediating influence on the perceived aging parent-adult child relationship.

This research examines whether proximity has a mediating influence on the quality of the relationship between aging parents and adult children. Results of LOGIST regressions indicate no difference in quality of relationships between groups of parents whose children live near them and whose children live more than 60 miles away. Significant predictors of the relationships for the proximate group were personal sense of control and education, and for the distant group, sex of the child, and number of living children. Our findings support the contention that the modified extended family can maintain psychological closeness regardless of physical distance.