Abstract
The purpose of this research was to develop a structural equation model that tested the effects of emotional reactivity on the relational health of a representative sample of 736 premarital couples. We hypothesized that partners’ perceived family-of-origin experience would be predictive of partners’ reports of their own and their partners’ emotional reactivity. These reports were hypothesized to predict partners’ reports of their own and their partners’ ability to manage conflict, which were hypothesized to predict relationship satisfaction. Overall, the model fit the data quite well, with particularly interesting differences by gender. We discuss the model’s fit within the larger body of literature, the potential implications and limitations of our findings, and future research considerations.
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Acknowledgments
This research was partially supported by funding from the College of Human Sciences at Texas Tech University and by the Family Studies Center at Brigham Young University. An earlier version of this research was presented at the 2003 Annual Conference of the National Council on Family Relations in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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Gardner, B.C., Busby, D.M. & Brimhall, A.S. Putting Emotional Reactivity in its Place? Exploring Family-of-origin Influences on Emotional Reactivity, Conflict, and Satisfaction in Premarital Couples. Contemp Fam Ther 29, 113–127 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-007-9039-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-007-9039-x