Skip to main content
Log in

Sweetheart, you really make me happy: romantic relationship quality and personality as predictors of happiness among emerging adults

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Happiness Studies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Two studies investigated the predictive ability of romantic relationship quality in happiness above and beyond the influence of personality (Big Five) among emerging adults. Study 1 (n = 221) showed that global romantic relationship quality accounted for 3% of the variance in happiness while controlling for personality. Study 2 (n = 187) replicated this finding by assessing happiness and relationship quality with different scales. Second study also extended the first study in two ways. First, emotional security and companionship emerged as the strongest features of romantic relationship quality that predicted happiness. Second, identity formation moderated the relationship between relationship quality and happiness such that emerging adults were happier when they experienced high quality relationships at high levels of identity formation. Findings across the two studies were discussed in the light of the literature and suggestions for future research were made.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aiken, L. S., & West, S. G. (1991). Multiple regression: Testing and interpreting interactions. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Argyle, M. (2001). The psychology of happiness. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Argyle, M., & Henderson, M. (1985). The anatomy of relationships. London: Heinemann.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arnett, J. J. (2000). Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties. American Psychologist, 55, 469–480.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arnett, J. J. (2004). Emerging adulthood: The winding road from late teens through twenties. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bagwell, C. L., Bender, S. E., Andreassi, C. L., Kinoshita, S. A., Montarello, S. A., & Muller, J. G. (2005). Friendship quality and perceived relationship changes predict psychosocial adjustment in early adulthood. Journal of Social & Personal Relationships, 22, 235–254.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baldassare, M., Rosenfield, S., & Rook, K. S. (1984). The types of social relations predicting elderly well-being. Research on Aging, 6, 549–559.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baltes, B. B., Parker, C. P., Young, L. M., Huff, J., & Altmann, R. (2004). The practical utility of importance measures in assessing the relative importance of work related perceptions and organizational characteristics on work related outcomes. Organizational Research Methods, 7, 326–340.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachment as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 117, 497–529.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berry, D. S., & Willingham, J. K. (1997). Affective traits, responses to conflict, and satisfaction in romantic relationships. Journal of Research in Personality, 31, 564–576.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berscheid, E., & Regan, P. (2005). The psychology of interpersonal relationships. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berscheid, E., Snyder, M., & Omoto, A. M. (1989). Issues in studying relationships: Conceptualizing and measuring closeness. In C. Hendrick (Ed.), Close relationships: Vol. 10. Review of personality and social psychology (pp. 63–91). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

  • Bradbury, T. N., & Fincham, F. D. (1988). Individual difference variables in close relationships: A contextual model of marriage as an integrative framework. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 713–721.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carstensen, L. L., Pasupathi, M., Mayr, U., & Nesselroade, J. (2000). Emotion experience in everyday life across the adult life span. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 79, 644–655.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Charles, S. T., Reynolds, C. A., & Gatz, M. (2001). Age-related differences and change in positive and negative affect over 23 years. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 80, 136–151.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng, H., & Furnham, A. (2001). Attributional style and personality as predictors of happiness and mental health. Journal of Happiness Studies, 2, 307–327.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Compton, W. C. (1998). Measures of mental health and a five factor theory of personality. Psychological Reports, 83, 371–381.

    Google Scholar 

  • Corcoran, K., & Fischer, J. (2000). Measures for clinical practice: A sourcebook, Vol. 2. New York, NY: The Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Costa, P. T. Jr., Zonderman, A. B., McCrae, R. R., Cornoni-Huntley, J., Locke, B. Z., & Barbano, H. E. (1987). Longitudinal analyses of psychological well-being in a national sample: Stability of mean levels. Journal of Gerontology, 42, 50–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Craig-Bray, L., Adams, G. R., & Dobson, W. R. (1988). Identity formation and social relations during late adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 17, 173–187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crossley, A., & Langridge, D. (2005). Perceived sources of happiness: A network analysis. Journal of Happiness Studies, 6, 107–135.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Csikszentmihalyi, M., & Hunter, J. (2003). Happiness in everyday life: The uses of experience sampling. Journal of Happiness Studies, 4, 185–199.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Demir, M., Linley, A. P., Kumbul, B., & Grishkina, T. (2003). What makes people happy? A cross-cultural comparison of British and Turkish young adults. Poster presented at the 2nd International Positive Psychology Summit, October 5–7, Washington, D.C., USA.

  • Demir, M., Özdemir, M., & Weitekamp, L. A. (2006). Looking to happy tomorrows with friends: Best and close friendships as they predict happiness. Journal of Happiness Studies, DOI 10.1007/s10902-006-9025-x.

  • Demir, M., & Weitekamp, L. A. (2006). I am so happy ‘cause today I found my friend: Friendship and personality as predictors of happiness. Journal of Happiness Studies, DOI 10.1007/s10902-006-9012-7.

  • DeNeve, K. M., & Cooper, H. (1998). The happy personality: A meta-analysis of 137 personality traits and subjective well-being. Psychological Bulletin, 124, 197–229.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985). The satisfaction with life scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49, 71–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., Gohm, C., Suh, E., & Oishi, S. (2000). Similarity of the relations between marital status and subjective well-being across cultures. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 31, 419–436.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., & Lucas, R. (1999). Personality, and subjective well-being. In D. Kahneman, E. Diener, & N. Schwarz (Eds.), Well-being: The foundations of hedonic psychology (pp. 213–229). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., & Suh, E. (1998). Subjective well-being and age. An international perspective. Annual Review of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 17, 304–324.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., Suh, E. M., Lucas, R. E., & Smith, H. L. (1999). Subjective well-being: Three decades of progress. Psychological Bulletin, 125, 76–302.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., Suh, E. M., Smith, H. L., & Shao, L. (1995). National differences in reported well-being: Why do they occur? Social Indicators Research, 34, 7–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dush, C. M. K., & Amato, P. R. (2005). Consequences of relationship status and quality for subjective well-being. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 22, 607–627.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Erikson, E. H. (1982). The life cycle completed: A review. New York: Norton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feiring, C. (1996). Concepts of romance in 15-year-olds. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 6, 181–200.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fletcher, G. J. O., Simpson, J. A., & Thomas, G. (2000). The measurement of perceived relationship quality components: A confirmatory factor analytic approach. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 26, 340–354.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Furman, W., & Buhrmester, D. (1992). Age and sex differences in perceptions of networks of personal relationships. Child Development, 63, 105–115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Furnham, A., & Cheng, H. (1997). Personality and happiness. Psychological Reports, 80, 761–762.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gable, S. L., Reis, H. T., Impett, E. A., & Asher, E. R. (2004). What do you do when things go right? The intrapersonal and interpersonal benefits of sharing of positive events. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 87, 228–245.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greene, A. L. (1990). Patterns of affectivity in the transition to adolescence. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 50, 340–356.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hazan, C., & Shaver, P. R. (1994). Attachment as an organizational framework for research on close relationships. Psychological Inquiry, 5, 1–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hinde, R. A. (1997). Relationships: A dialectical perspective. Psychology Press: Taylor & Francis Ltd.

  • Hussong, A. M. (2000). Perceived peer context and adolescent adjustment. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 10, 391–415.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • John, O., Donahue, E., & Kentle, R. (1991). The “Big Five” Inventory – Versions 4a and 54. Technical Report. Institute of Personality Assessment and Research, Berkeley, CA: University of California, Berkeley.

  • John, O. P., & Srivastava, S. (1999). The Big Five trait taxonomy: History, measurement, and theoretical perspectives. In L. A. Pervin & O. P. John (Eds.), Handbook of personality: Theory and research (pp. 102–138). NewYork: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kacerquis, M. S., & Adams, G. R. (1980). Erikson stage resolution: The relationship between identity and intimacy. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 9, 117–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kan, M. L., & Cares, A. C. (2006). From “friends with benefits” to “going steady”: New directions in understanding romance and sex in adolescence and emerging adulthood. In A. C. Crouter & A. E. Booth (Eds.), Romance and sex in adolescence and emerging adulthood: Risks and opportunities (pp. 241–258). Mahwah, NJ, US: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karney, B. R., & Bradbury, T. N. (1995). The longitudinal course of marital quality and stability: A review of theory, method, and research. Psychological Bulletin, 118, 3–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kasser, T., & Sheldon, K. M. (2002). What makes for a merry Christmas? Journal of Happiness Studies, 3, 313–329.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, E. L., & Conley, J. J. (1987). Personality and compatibility: A prospective analysis of marital stability and marital satisfaction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 27–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keyes, C. L. M., & Waterman, M. B. (2003). Dimensions of well-being and mental health in adulthood. In M. H. Bornstein, L. Davidson, C. L. M. Keyes, & K. A. Moore (Eds.), Positive development across the life course (pp. 477–497). Mahwah, NJ, US: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Khaleque, A. R., & Rohner, N. (2004). Intimate adult relationships, quality of life and psychological adjustment. Social Indicators Research, 69, 351–360.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kwan, V. S. Y., Bond, M. H., & Singelis, T. M. (1997). Pancultural explanations for life satisfaction: Adding relationship harmony to self-esteem. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 73, 1038–1051.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lokitz, B. D., & Sprandel, H. Z. (1976). The first year: A look at the freshman experience. Journal of College Student Personnel, 17, 274–279.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lu, L. (1999). Personal or environmental causes of happiness: A longitudinal analysis. Journal of Social Psychology, 139, 79–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lucas, R. E., & Diener, E. (2001). Understanding extraverts’ enjoyment of social situations: The importance of pleasantness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 81, 343–356.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lucas, R. E., Diener, E., Grob, A., Suh, E. M., & Shao, L. (2000). Cross-cultural evidence for the fundamental features of extraversion. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 79, 452–468.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lucas, R. E., & Gohm, C. (2000). Age and sex differences in subjective well-being across cultures. In E. Diener & E. M. Suh (Eds.), Subjective well-being across nations and cultures (pp. 291–317). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyubomirsky, S., King, L., & Diener, E. (2005). The benefit of frequent positive affect: Does happiness lead to success? Psychological Bulletin, 131, 803–855.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lyubomirsky, S., & Lepper, H. S. (1999). A measure of subjective happiness: Preliminary reliability and construct validation. Social Indicators Research, 46, 137–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lyubomirsky, S., Sheldon, K. M., & Schkade, D. (2005). Pursuing happiness: The architecture of sustainable change. Review of General Psychology, 9, 111–131.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marcia, J. E. (1966). Development and validation of ego identity status. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 3, 551–558.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCrae, R. R., & Costa, P. T. (1991). Adding liebe and arbeit: The full five-factor model and well-being. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 17, 227–232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Medley, M. L. (1980). Life satisfaction across four stages of adult life. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 11, 193–209.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meeus, W., Iedema, J., Hersen, M., & Vollebergh, W. (1999). Patterns of adolescent identity development: Review of literature and longitudinal analysis. Developmental Review, 19, 419–461.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Menard, S. (1995). Applied logistic regression analysis. Sage university paper series on quantitative applications in the social sciences, 07-106. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

  • Mendelson, M. J., & Aboud, F. E. (1999). Measuring friendship quality in late adolescents and young adults: McGill Friendship Questionnaires. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 31, 130–132.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, R. S., & Lefcourt, H. M. (1982). The assessment of social intimacy. Journal of Personality Assessment, 46(5), 514–518.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery, M. J. (2005). Psychosocial intimacy and identity: From early adolescence to emerging adulthood. Journal of Adolescent Research, 20, 346–374.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Myers, R. (1990). Classical and modern regression with applications (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Duxbury.

    Google Scholar 

  • Myers, D. G. (1992). The pursuit of happiness: Who is happy and why. New York: William Morrow.

    Google Scholar 

  • Myers, D. (2000). The funds, friends and faith of happy people. American Psychologist, 55, 56–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Noller, P., Feeney, J. A., Peterson, C. (2001). Personal relationships across the lifespan. Hove, UK: Psychology Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orlofsky, J. L., Marcia, J. E., & Lesser, I. M. (1973). Ego identity status and the intimacy versus isolation crisis of young adulthood. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 27, 211–219.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prager, K. J. (1995). The psychology of intimacy. Guilford, CT: Guilford Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reis, H. T. (2001). Relationship experiences and emotional well-being. In C. D. Ryff & B. H. Singer (Eds.), Emotion, social relationships and health (pp. 57–86). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reis, H. T., Collins, W. A., & Berscheid, E. (2000). The relationship context of human behavior and development. Psychological Bulletin, 126, 844–872.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reis, H. T., & Shaver, P. R. (1988). Intimacy as an interpersonal process. In S. Duck (Ed.), Handbook of research in personal relationships (pp. 367–389). London, England: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roisman, G. I., Masten, A. S., Coatsworth, J. D., & Tellegen, A. (2004). Salient and emerging developmental tasks in the transition to adulthood. Child Development, 75, 123–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rook, K. S. (1987). Social support versus companionship: Effects on life stress, loneliness, and evaluations by others. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 1132–1147.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roscoe, B., Dian, M. S., & Brooks, R. H. (1987). Early, middle, and late adolescents’ views on dating and the factors influencing partner selection. Adolescence, 22, 59–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenthal, D. A., Gurney, R. M., & Moore, S. M. (1981). From trust to intimacy: A new inventory for examining Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 10, 525–537.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2001). On happiness and human potentials: A review of research on hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 141–166.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryff, C. D. (1989). Happiness is everything, or is it? Explorations on the meaning of psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57, 1069–1081.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sedikides, C., Oliver, M. B., & Campbell, W. K. (1994). Perceived benefits and costs of romantic relationships for women and men: Implications for exchange theory. Personal Relationships, 1, 5–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sheldon, K. M., & Kasser, T. (2001). Getting older, getting better? Personal strivings and personality development across the life-course. Developmental Psychology, 37, 491–501.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sheldon, K. M., Kasser, T., Houser-Marko, L., Jones, T., & Turban, D. (2005). Doing one’s duty: Chronological age, felt autonomy, and subjective well-being. European Journal of Personality, 19, 97–115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sprecher, S., & Hendrick, S. S. (2004). Self-disclosure in intimate relationships: Associations with individual and relationship charateristics over time. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 23, 857–877.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stacey, C. A., & Gatz, M. (1991). Cross-sectional age differences and longitudinal change on the Bradburn Affect Balance Scale. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 46, 76–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tabachnik, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (1999). Using multivariate statistics. New York, NY: Harper Collins, College Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, S. E., & Brown, J. D. (1988). Illusion and well-being: A social psychological perspective on mental health. Psychological Bulletin, 103, 193–210.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vleioras, G., & Bosma, H. A. (2005). Are identity styles important for psychological well-being? Journal of Adolescence, 28, 397–409.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watson, D., Clark, L. A., & Tellegen, A. (1988). Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: The PANAS scales. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 1063–1070.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weiss, R. S. (1974). The provisions of social relationships. In Z. Rubin (Ed.), Doing unto others (pp. 17–26). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weishaus, S. W., & Field, D. (1988). A half century of marriage: Continuity or change? Journal of Marriage and the Family, 3, 763–774.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Winstead, B. A., Derlega, V. J., & Rose, S. (1997). Gender and close relationships. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • White, J. K., Hendrick, S. S., & Hendrick, C. (2004). Big five personality variables and relationship constructs. Personality and Individual Differences, 37, 1519–1530.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

The author would like to thank to anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Melikşah Demir.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Demir, M. Sweetheart, you really make me happy: romantic relationship quality and personality as predictors of happiness among emerging adults. J Happiness Stud 9, 257–277 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-007-9051-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-007-9051-8

Keywords

Navigation