The association of intimacy goals and marital satisfaction: A test of four mediational hypotheses

Catherine A. Sanderson; Nancy Cantor

doi:10.1177/01461672012712001

The association of intimacy goals and marital satisfaction: A test of four mediational hypotheses

Catherine A. Sanderson, Nancy Cantor

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This research examines the association of intimacy goals and marital satisfaction and tests four potential mediators of the goals-satisfaction link. Forty-four married couples completed measures of their own intimacy goals, their perceptions of their spouse's goals, patterning of marital interactions (e.g., social support, time spent together, number of activities engaged in together, mutual influence), and marital satisfaction. As predicted, both individuals' own and their spouses' pursuit of intimacy goals were associated with marital satisfaction. However, these associations between goals and satisfaction were eliminated when individuals' perceptions of their spouses' goals were included in the analysis, indicating that the link between intimacy goals and marital satisfaction was mediated by individuals' perceptions of their spouses' goals. Discussion focuses on the theoretical and applied implications of these findings.

Original language	American English
Pages (from-to)	1567-1577
Number of pages	11
Journal	Personality and social psychology bulletin
Volume	27
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672012712001
State	Published - Dec 2001
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Social Psychology

Access to Document

10.1177/01461672012712001

Cite this

@article{2735c47b059044a4b9d4cade9a75c20d,

title = "The association of intimacy goals and marital satisfaction: A test of four mediational hypotheses",

abstract = "This research examines the association of intimacy goals and marital satisfaction and tests four potential mediators of the goals-satisfaction link. Forty-four married couples completed measures of their own intimacy goals, their perceptions of their spouse's goals, patterning of marital interactions (e.g., social support, time spent together, number of activities engaged in together, mutual influence), and marital satisfaction. As predicted, both individuals' own and their spouses' pursuit of intimacy goals were associated with marital satisfaction. However, these associations between goals and satisfaction were eliminated when individuals' perceptions of their spouses' goals were included in the analysis, indicating that the link between intimacy goals and marital satisfaction was mediated by individuals' perceptions of their spouses' goals. Discussion focuses on the theoretical and applied implications of these findings.",

author = "Sanderson, {Catherine A.} and Nancy Cantor",

year = "2001",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1177/01461672012712001",

language = "American English",

volume = "27",

pages = "1567--1577",

journal = "Personality and social psychology bulletin",

issn = "0146-1672",

publisher = "SAGE Publications Inc.",

number = "12",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The association of intimacy goals and marital satisfaction

T2 - A test of four mediational hypotheses

AU - Sanderson, Catherine A.

AU - Cantor, Nancy

PY - 2001/12

Y1 - 2001/12

N2 - This research examines the association of intimacy goals and marital satisfaction and tests four potential mediators of the goals-satisfaction link. Forty-four married couples completed measures of their own intimacy goals, their perceptions of their spouse's goals, patterning of marital interactions (e.g., social support, time spent together, number of activities engaged in together, mutual influence), and marital satisfaction. As predicted, both individuals' own and their spouses' pursuit of intimacy goals were associated with marital satisfaction. However, these associations between goals and satisfaction were eliminated when individuals' perceptions of their spouses' goals were included in the analysis, indicating that the link between intimacy goals and marital satisfaction was mediated by individuals' perceptions of their spouses' goals. Discussion focuses on the theoretical and applied implications of these findings.

AB - This research examines the association of intimacy goals and marital satisfaction and tests four potential mediators of the goals-satisfaction link. Forty-four married couples completed measures of their own intimacy goals, their perceptions of their spouse's goals, patterning of marital interactions (e.g., social support, time spent together, number of activities engaged in together, mutual influence), and marital satisfaction. As predicted, both individuals' own and their spouses' pursuit of intimacy goals were associated with marital satisfaction. However, these associations between goals and satisfaction were eliminated when individuals' perceptions of their spouses' goals were included in the analysis, indicating that the link between intimacy goals and marital satisfaction was mediated by individuals' perceptions of their spouses' goals. Discussion focuses on the theoretical and applied implications of these findings.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0035541273&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0035541273&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1177/01461672012712001

DO - 10.1177/01461672012712001

M3 - Article

SN - 0146-1672

VL - 27

SP - 1567

EP - 1577

JO - Personality and social psychology bulletin

JF - Personality and social psychology bulletin

IS - 12

ER -

The association of intimacy goals and marital satisfaction: A test of four mediational hypotheses

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Cite this