Commitment and Dyadic Coping in Long-Term Relationships

Landis, Marion; Bodenmann, Guy; Bradbury, Thomas N.; Brandstätter, Veronika; Peter-Wight, Melanie; Backes, Sabine; Sutter-Stickel, Dorothee; Nussbeck, Fridtjof W.

doi:10.1024/1662-9647/a000112

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Journal article

Commitment and Dyadic Coping in Long-Term Relationships

Landis, Marion University Research Priority Program “Dynamics of Healthy Aging,” University of Zurich, Switzerland
Bodenmann, Guy Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
Bradbury, Thomas N. Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Brandstätter, Veronika Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
Peter-Wight, Melanie Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
Backes, Sabine Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
Sutter-Stickel, Dorothee Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
Nussbeck, Fridtjof W. Department of Psychology, University of Bielefeld, Germany

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GeroPsych. - Hogrefe Publishing Group. - 2014, vol. 27, no. 4, p. 139-149

English Background: Previous research focused on relationship commitment as the outcome of high satisfaction, poor alternatives, and high investments. We propose that commitment is a prerequisite in highly satisfied couples, fostering relationship maintenance behavior such as positive dyadic coping. Method: Structural equation models identified the relationship between commitment, relationship satisfaction, and dyadic coping with data from 201 heterosexual couples with an average relationship length of 34 years. Results: The common fate model confirmed that relationship satisfaction mediated the effects between commitment and dyadic coping on a latent dyadic level. Additional analyses revealed that women’s satisfaction was mainly responsible for mediating effects between both partners’ commitment and dyadic coping. Conclusions: Findings support the essentiality of commitment for couples’ maintenance strategies and for consistency in long-term relationships.

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