Abstract
Mindfulness has been associated with relationship satisfaction among older and younger individuals across long-term and early-stage relationships (Khaddouma et al. in Couple Fam Psychol Res Pract 4:1–13, 2015a; Lenger et al. in Mindfulness 8:171–180, 2017). However, it remains unclear whether age or relationship length are relevant factors in the benefits couples may expect from mindfulness. The present study sought to examine age and relationship length as potential moderators of the association between mindfulness and relationship satisfaction. Data were collected from older and younger individuals in well-established and early stages of relationship formation. Results revealed that age moderates the association between mindfulness and relationship satisfaction whereas relationship length does not. Probing the age × mindfulness interaction indicated that mindfulness is more relevant to relationship satisfaction for older individuals than younger individuals, even when controlling for relationship length. This suggests that age may be an important factor to consider in the development of new mindfulness based relationship models.
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Lenger, K.A., Gordon, C.L. & Nguyen, S.P. A Word to the Wise: Age Matters When Considering Mindfulness in Romantic Relationships. Contemp Fam Ther 41, 115–124 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-018-9479-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-018-9479-5